The New Naruto
by Squad-Zero-Taicho
Summary: A small overdose of sake for Squad 7's first C rank client changes Naruto's life. A meeting and talk with the Kyuubi changes Naruto, but for better or worse? Watch as the land of waves discover a new Naruto before Konoha gets the full effect of him.Harem
1. Chapter 1

**The New Naruto**

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.'- Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 1 - Too Much Sake**

"Sasuke, I'm at point B."

"Sakura, I'm at point C."

"Naruto, I'm at point A, believe it!"

"Too slow Naruto. Okay, Squad 7."

A black beast leaps from a tree into the bushes below.

"The target has moved! Follow it."

Three ninja can be seen from their hiding places. One with raven black hair, one with bubblegum pink, and our favourite knucklehead blonde.

"Over there." The blonde whispered through his earpiece.

"What's your distance from the target?" Came the silver haired jōnin's voice.

"5 Meters." Naruto replied, "I'm ready, just give the signal."

"I'm ready too." voiced the confident Sasuke.

"So am I." Sakura finished.

"Okay…now!" Kakashi ordered.

The three genin sprung from their hiding places at the beast.

"I got him, I got him!" Naruto shouted out as he wrestled with the…cat.

This only startled the poor creature as Naruto became a new scatching post with Sakura smiling all the while.

"Can you verify ribbon on right ear?" Kakashi's voice came from the headphones.

"Affirmative, we got a positive I.D." Sasuke replied, having almost nothing to do with the capture.

"Right. Lost pet Tora: Captured. Mission accomplished."

"Cant we get a better mission than this?! I hate cats!" Naruto yelled down the frequency, giving everyone a headache.

* * *

"Naruto! We can all hear you loud and clear, stop yelling!" Sakura's shrill voice now bellowed back down the earpieces.

"Hmph, pathetic." A now bored Sasuke sighed and began the short journey back into the village.

"Sasuke! Wait up." Sakura called out and hurried after him.

"Hey! A little help first Sakura-chan?! Get off me cat!" Naruto shouted, finally having enough of the cat, grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and it finally calmed down.

Quickly rising to his feet to get a better grip on the animal, Naruto rose with the captured kitty in hands.

Poof! A flash of smoke erupted not 5 feet from Naruto. He almost dropped the cat…almost.

"It seems you have a way with animals, eh? Naruto?" Kakashi gloated as he emerged from the smoke with one of his famous eye smiles.

"Damn it Kakashi-sensei, why can't we have a better mission than this? A 'B' rank, or a 'C' rank at least."

"Now Naruto, there is no use complaining to me…again, we get our orders and missions from the Hokage and we must complete them for the good of the village."

The pair had now begun walking back toward the village.

"Yea but I'm way stronger now, I even caught this damn cat before Sasuke got near it." Naruto stroked the cats fur lightly without loosening his grip on the animal.

"Speed doesn't determine the power of a ninja Naruto, you should know this by now. All aspects must be taken into account. Any chūnin could beat you without a second thought." Now that hurt Naruto's pride.

"Hmph, Mizuki sure had fun losing to me…" he whispered to himself.

Kakashi caught that but decided to say nothing as the two made their way to the Hokage's office in silence.

* * *

"Awwwwwwww my poor little Tora. Mama was so worried about your naughty little fuzzy face." Team 7's captive was in the process of becoming a pancake against its owner's face.

"Haha, stupid cat, that kitty deserves to be squashed." Naruto laughed as he watched the client suffocating it.

"No wonder he ran away." Sakura pitied the cat but her job was over anyway. Sit back and let Naruto and Sasuke handle it. That's easy street for her.

"Now then, for Squad 7's next mission we have several available tasks." The Third Hokage called to Squad 7 over the screams of the poor cat. "Among them: Babysitting the chief-counsellor's 3 year old, helping his wife to do the shopping, digging up potatoes at…"

"No!" Naruto interrupted, crossing his arms like an 'X' with a strange buzzing sound heard from somewhere, "I wanna go on a real mission! Something challenging and exciting. Not this little kid stuff. Come on old man!"

'He's got a point.' Sasuke thought

'He's such a pain!' Sakura thought, wow, does she ever give poor Naruto a break?

'Oh, I knew this was coming.' Kakashi thought as Iruka suddenly took charge.

"How dare you! Your just a brand new genin with no experience. Like everyone else, you start with simple missions to develop your skills and prove yourself!"

"Are you serious?! Babysitting is not a mission it's just a stupid… gah!" As a punch to the back of his head shut him up, courtesy of Kakashi.

"Will you put a lid on it." came he's now bored voice.

"Naruto," The Third began as Naruto sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "It seems you do not understand the tasks you have been given. Listen, many different kinds of requests come into our village every day. From babysitting to assassinations. These requests are carefully reported…"

I'll spare you the rest of the speech.

"You always lecture me like you're my grandfather or something but I'm not the little brat that used to pull pranks all the time. I'm a ninja now and I want a ninja mission! Hmph" Naruto shouted and turned his back to the Hokage.

"Ah, I'm gonna hear about this later." Kakashi sighed again.

The Hokage chuckled, "Naruto wants us to know he's not a brat, he's a former brat, and he wants a mission. So be it."

"Huh?" Was all Naruto could say.

"Since you are so determined, I'm going to give you a C ranked mission. You'll be bodyguards on a journey."

"Really? Yes! Who? Who? Are we guarding a princess? or some big Councillor?"

"Don't be so impatient. I will bring him in now. Send in our visitor."

Squad 7 turned towards the door as it opened revealing a very drunk old man with a bottle of sake in his hand.

"What the? A bunch of little snot-nosed kids?" The old man took one final swig and hit the ground.

"Wah? What the hell, whose this old geezer?" Naruto shouted out, now poking the body.

"It seems our client has had a little too much to drink. Kakashi, if you would escort our client back to his hotel, Team 7 can begin in the morning." The Third sighed.

"Huh? No fair old man! You said we'd get a 'C' rank today!" Naruto, now furious he was denied his prize he fought for.

"You mission will still be here in the morning Naruto, You can't complete it without the client after all. I suggest you all go home and rest for tomorrow." With that, the Hokage rose from his seat and left the chūnin remaining to sort through the remaining missions.

The Third's head suddenly appeared back at the doorway.

"If you'd like Naruto, I could set up some 'D' ranks for you instead." He chuckled as he heard Naruto go off like a bomb, returning to his office for some…private reading.

* * *

"Geez Naruto, did you have to make such a fuss!" Sakura scolded him.

"It got us a better mission didn't it, or would you like to be carrying groceries for other people your whole life." Naruto snapped right back.

Bang! Naruto's face hit the floor again as Sakura stood proudly over him.

"Your such an idiot!" she shouted at him as ran back to Sasuke's side.

Kakashi had already gone ahead and taken the client, Tazuna, home. So it was just the genin and they each had their own plans.

"Leave me alone Sakura. I'm going to go train…" Sasuke said and with Sakura right on his tail much to his dismay, he headed back to Squad 7's training grounds.

"Ow, why does Sakura-chan have to hit me all the time." Naruto stood up and sighed, his voice enhancing mask now gone with no one around. "Why can't she just…" he trailed off, with a slight tear peeking from his eye.

He then became completely motionless…

Nature chakra licked at his body but he was blissfully unaware.

His body then set itself to automatic and began home with an expressionless look on his face.

* * *

"Huh? Where the hell am I…am I…am I…" He shouted as his voice echoed in the dark sewer around him.

"Gah! What is this stuff?!" Lifting one foot out of the water and examining it closely. The slime then slowly dribbled off his sandal and back into the muck before Naruto decided he didn't want to know.

"**Wise choice.**" A voice roared from somewhere in the sewer.

Naruto jumped at this and surprisingly didn't appear afraid.

Like a dog barking at the night, he shouted. "Who the hell is that?!"

"**Come closer to discover more…**" The voice called out again with Naruto slowly taking steps down the corridor, towards the source of the voice.

"**That's it, closer and closer…**" he heard again.

Picking up the pace, Naruto headed into the unknown until he saw darkness.

"**So this is my vessel.**" The voice called out from behind giant metal bars held back by nothing but paper with "Seal" written on it.

"So we finally meet face to face eh? Kyuubi." Naruto smiled a somewhat evil smirk.

This, of course, only made the fox prouder.

"What big teeth you have, Kyuubi." Naruto grinned.

"**All the better to devour your flesh with!**" It roared back, its face now in the in light close to the bars.

"Why did you bring me here?" Naruto asked, all traces of grin left his face, now donning a look more serious.

"**What's with the business all of a sudden…I was having fun.**" Kyuubi smirked back with the same grin Naruto just lost.

"I know all about you now, you've killed thousands of people, millons maybe." Naruto began with the Kyuubi only nodding with a kind of "More or less" look. "I also know that if I die, you die! What's to stop me finally ridding the world from your evil!"

'**Hmmm, kit's smarter than I gave him credit for…**' The fox thought.

"Well?! You're the reason I'm hated in this town, you're the only reason I'm still here, and you…you…" Seething with rage Naruto shouted as loud as he could, "You took away my family!"

Now with tears in his eyes, he looked at the fox again with all the hatred he had saved up over the years.

"No one will ever love me! You took away my chance at having a happy life!"

A metal bar suddenly appeared in Naruto's hands.

Tears now very much threatening to break loose shook violently as he swung the bar repeatedly at Kyuubi's cage, every time he landed a hit he repeated the same word louder each time.

"WHY?!"

Collapsing due to fatigue and emotion, Naruto sunk to his knees and dropped the bar.

"Why did you have to come to Konoha…Why did you have to take away all those lives?" he said, now deathly quiet in contrast to his previous voice.

The old fox looked at Naruto and for the 1st time in it's long lifespan, shed a tear. The fox didn't growl or hurl obscenities at the boy. It just lay there, head laying on its paws like a dog laying down, feeling sorry for the one person he should hate.

"…**I didn't mean to…**" the fox spoke.

Naruto raised his tear stained face to meet the Kyuubi's closed eyes.

"…**Life is a fragile thing is it not?**" it spoke again.

Naruto only nodded his head slowly.

The great Kyuubi let out a long sigh before opening his eyes again.

"**I have lived many of your human lifetimes…yet I still have not found a place to call home…**" Kyuubi was getting more vocal now as Naruto patiently listened.

"**There are no other Kyuubi…just me…alone for hundreds of years… I know the pain of loneliness better than even you kit. I am the only Kyuubi, there are no others. I do not know how I came to be or what to do in life with no one else out there for me.**"

Naruto actually felt sorry for the Kyuubi. True had had only face 12 and ½ years of hate, suffering but the Kyuubi had endured hundreds of years.

"I thought you appear when people get too cocky and evil, isn't that what you do in life?" Naruto asked as was the legend of the Kyuubi.

"**No…no my dear kit, this world is a delicate balance, I merely help the world by reducing the amount of evil in it.**" Kyuubi sighed, remembering all the dictators an loyal subjects to them he had slaughtered.

"Really? No tricks?" Naruto asked, now very curious.

"**Foxes honor.**" The Kyuubi chuckled as he sat up again.

"**Unlike me kit, you can be seen as a force of good in the world, you can know love and honor yourself and become ninja you truly want to be.**"

Naruto scoffed, "Tsh, like that'll ever happen now. I have you to keep in line, how could anyone love me…"

"**This world is full of surprises kit. Some are good, some are bad. You never know until you look for them though.**"

The fox then pressed it's paw against the cage door and took a deep breath.

"**What do you fight for kit?**" It suddenly asked.

"Huh? Well I guess I fight to be acknowledged, so I can protect people like Iruka-sensei and Sakura-chan."

'**Good answer kit**' The fox thought and chuckled.

"**Hmmm, very well, how about a deal then kit.**" He grinned again.

A normal person would have already denied the fox and taken off running. Not our blonde though.

"…What kind of deal?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"**I want to see the world again. I want to see the sights you do.**" It began, "**I will give you full access to the power I have here and teach you things jōnin could only dream of. In return, all I ask is a mental link between our minds. I don't want to be shut off from the world anymore.**"

Naruto seemed rather confused with this.

"So lemme get this straight, you willing to give me lots of power in return for a window into my life?"

"**That is all I ask…and that you change your clothes…**" The Kyuubi smiled. Not the foxy grin always plastered on Naruto's face, but a warm smile.

"Hey, it's not like I haven't tried, you asked for it though. You can see for yourself." Naruto replied to the fox, and pressed his own tiny hand against a bar on the cage, opposite of the Kyuubi's own.

A white light linked the centre of Naruto's head and Kyuubi's head before engulfing the room.

* * *

Naruto left his mindscape only to not awaken, in his bedroom, asleep til the next day. The tale of Naruto has now begun…

* * *

A/N: Okay everyone, this is my 1st fanfic and I wanna know what everyone thinks. If you do flame, be a little gentle at least so I can work on it. Also I will put up a vote on who you want Naruto paired with during this story. This is a straight story so no NaruxSasu coz I just find that disturbing. Review people and I will be back soon.

Ja Ne.


	2. Chapter 2

**The New Naruto**

Wow, a lot of people checked out my story, I never knew this would be that popular. I felt so good I wanted to write another chapter for you guys, YAY!

Another note, when Naruto is thinking, the Kyuubi can talk to him. When Naruto talks to the Kyuubi "", he is inside his mindscape and unconscious in the real world.

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'_**Hmmm the kit has promise.**__' _- Demon Thinking

**Chapter 2 - Zabuza Momochi**

The sound of birds chirping drifted through the window, letting people know that morning had arrived.

Despite having a mission that day, a certain blond just rolled over, using his sheets to block the sun.

"**Wait for it…wait for it…**" the voice in Naruto's head mumbled behind grins as Naruto's brain finally returned to the land of the living a second before…

"GAH!" he shot up in his bed scrambled to get out, "I can't believe I overslept!…Why am I still in my clothes?"

"**You were so worn out from our little chat you didn't wake up.**" Came the Kyuubi's now ever present voice.

'_Ah you! So it wasn't all a dream, we really did make that deal, huh._' Naruto thought to the Kyuubi.

"**Yes, and don't forget about your end. I give you access to my power and knowledge in return for this link AND that you were something other than that ghastly orange!**"

"Oh yea, hehe. Unfortunately for you, you get to see my wardrobe now…"

"**What?**" The fox replied, quite confused, "**How could your wardrobe be any worse than what your wearing?**"

Naruto hurried to his closet, a look of absolute joy on his face as he flung open the door to the tiny space and opened his eyes as wide as he could to give the fox the full picture.

"**GAH! MY EYES!**" The fox reared back into the darkness of his cage.

Naruto howled with laughter rolling around on the floor. Inside Naruto's closet was 10 different sets of the same jumpsuit Naruto wore everyday.

'Man fox, I wish I could see your face haha, priceless!'

"**Oh you think so kit!**" The fox now furious stepped forward and put its paw against the cage. "**Time for your 1****st**** lesson.**"

Naruto had just zipped up his next jumpsuit when a massive wave of pain slammed into him. He clutched his head as the pain focused around his face.

He yelled out and jumped back onto his be, burying his head under his pillow.

The pain left as fast as it came as Naruto opened his eyes again. Picking himself up, he thought something nasty to the fox.

"**No need for that sort of language kit. You should be thanking be on bended knee.**" The fox smirked, now relaxing back in the corner of his cage.

'Why? You turned my head into your personal plaything just for looking at the only thing I'm allowed to buy.' Naruto shout-thought at the giant fox.

"**Only thing? Why don't you just take something you want, they can't do anything with me around.**"

'Tsh, yea right. You're the reason I get banned from nearly every store I walk into.'

"**Well since you'll be leaving the village soon you should find a shop that has some decent clothes for you. Plus is didn't do anything to you head, just your senses.**"

'What about my senses?' Naruto was now out of the door and hurrying to the front gate.

"**I'll explain once I you something worth using them for.**" Kyuubi yawned and curled up in a ball before catching a few Z's.

"Tsh, damn fur ball." Naruto said as he focused on reality seeing Sasuke, Sakura and their client giving him an odd look.

"What a dobe…" Sasuke just muttered as he returned to leaning back on the gate.

"Hey guys, where's Kakashi?" Naruto asked Sakura, giving her his famous foxy grin.

"Where do you think? Probably reading his stupid book on the other side of Konoha." Sakura answered.

"Man, Kakashi-sensei has never been ontime. When we finally get a good mission he decides to be late for that as well.

"You shouldn't talk that way about your teacher." Tazuna, one hand on his head to help the hangover, joined the conversation.

"But it's true. Kakashi-sensei is always late, he properly won't show up for another hour or two.

Some leaves shifted.

Naruto's ears twitched.

He turned his head to a tree just outside of the gate.

"Kakashi-sensei? That you?" Naruto shouted out.

The three spectators just resumed the weird look they gave him before.

It was wiped from their faces as Kakashi just dropped from the tree, closing his orange book in the process.

"Well spotted Naruto." The silver haired jōnin complimented.

"You were there the whole time?!" Sakura yelled.

"No, I showed up around the same time Naruto did. I decided to test your ability so sense others. Naruto here is the only one who passed.

Sakura and Sasuke were taken aback.

'This runt actually has some talent.' Tazuna smiled.

'No way, how could he tell he was there from all the way over here!' Sasuke fumed.

'That's impossible! There's no way he sensed him and Sasuke-kun didn't.' Sakura was shocked.

"You knew he was there the whole time though didn't you sasuke-kun. You just wanted me to sense him for myself." With hearts in here eyes, Sakura drifted off into her own fantasy world.

Sasuke just scowled,

"Can we get on with the mission already!"

Now this was a surprise, now Sasuke was the impatient one and Naruto was the calm one.

The others decided to ignore this sudden outburst and make final checks over their stuff.

* * *

Naruto took one step passed the gates before smiling and looking up at the sky.

'My first step outside of the village…Yosh, I can't wait!' He thought.

"**Hmmm? Nani?**" Naruto heard a low growl at the back of his mind.

'Up already eh? Fur ball.'

"**Seeing as you even think loud, yes.**" Kyuubi grunted and stretched.

"Everyone ready?" Came Kakashi's voice, everyone nodded, "Then lets go."

They all set out from the village. Kakashi began to explain the different regions while Naruto zoned out.

"**Leaving already? I was hoping for a longer fox-nap.**"

'Don't you mean cat-nap?' Naruto asked.

"**Don't EVER put me In the same category as them. A fox-nap is completely different!**" Kyuubi shouted.

'Okay, okay. If you say so. So are you gonna tell me what you did to my hearing?'

"**Couldn't you tell? You managed to find that jōnin teacher of yours easily when both you team mates had no idea.**"

'Your making no sense, just tell me everything you did then I can get back to this mission.'

The fox just sighed,

"**I'll put it simply for your human brain to understand. You can hear a pin drop at 100ft, your sense of smell is rivalled only by my own and your eyes.**" The Kyuubi stopped suddenly. He spotted something out of place up ahead. "**Lets say we take them out for a test spin.**"

'What do u mean?' Naruto asked.

"**Push some chakra to your eyes and take a look under that tree.**"

Naruto complied and tried focusing his chakra into his eyes. Everytime he took a step closer he lost focus and the chakra receded.

"**Stop walking baka!**" The fox shouted, annoyed.

Naruto stopped about 25 feet from the tree and focused hard.

The chakra pooled at the back of his eyes. He blinked and his once crystal blue eyes became blood-red slitted ones.

"What the?" Naruto looked at the puddle under the tree. There was a large source of chakra around and in the puddle.

The others had walked ahead before turning back to the blonde.

"Naruto, hurry up!" Sakura called out.

"In a second." Naruto walked up to the puddle and jumped into the centre of it.

Poof! A smoke screen appeared around Naruto as two figures emerged from the smoke.

One landed on his feet, the on his knee, clutching his head.

"That hurt ya brat!" the injured one shouted before the duo charged at him.

Naruto jumped out of the way and landed several feet off.

The two kept running. The were heading toward Kakashi and the client.

Naruto ran after them but he was too late.

They both had a massive chain of shuriken emerge from their wrists, linking the two and wrapped it round Kakashi.

"One down." The other said and they yanked the chain, splitting kakashi in two.

All three genin were too stunned to move, their jōnin sensei had just been killed on the spot.

"Now for our objective." The injured one spoke before they made a charge for Tazuna.

A flash of blue and Sasuke was in the air. He threw a shuriken at their chain, pinning it to a tree, followed up with a kunai to reinforce it.

"Arh, I can't get loose." The right handed chain user grunted as Sasuke landed on each of their gauntlets.

They quickly looked at the young genin before he kicked both of the in the jaw.

Chunk, chunk. They released their gauntlets from the chains, regained their footing and both flew towards Tazuna.

"I've got to stop them! I've got to stop them!" Sakura shouted at herself, "Stay behind me!" she cried and jumped in front of Tazuna.

"**Now kit!**"

Wham! A foot slammed into one of the figures, destroying his facemask under his foot as he shot into the other figure before tumbling away.

Naruto landed in front of Sakura perfectly with a hard look on his face.'

"N…Naruto?" Sakura whispered, more to herself than anyone else before Naruto ran over to where the demon brothers now lay. Both taken out with that last attack.

'Whoa, what the hell was that?' Naruto thought.

"**Your new reflexes kit. Like 'em?**" The fox grinned in his mind. A slight feeling of proud graced the foxes body before he brushed it away.

'You tuned them up too? Nice!' Naruto smirked, inside and outside his mind.

"Good job Naruto." A voice came from the trees as Kakashi dropped down for the second time that day.

"Kakashi-sensei, your okay!" Sakura shouted out and ran to the meet him.

Saskue was too shocked by Naruto to move. Slowly, he turned his head to see the spot Kakashi "died" on to see sliced sticks over the ground.

'Replacement justu' he thought.

Tazuna was still scared and cautiously approached the group.

"Is…is it safe now?" he asked.

"Thanks to Sasuke and Naruto, yes." Kakashi replied, tying a very tight knot as he finished securing the demon brothers to a tree. "By the way Mr. Tazuna."

"Yea, what?"

"We need to talk."

* * *

One hour later

"This fogs so thick. You can't see anything." Sakura called out.

Team 7 and their client were now on the boat to the land of waves.

The team had decided to continue with the mission muchg to Kakashi's dismay due to a convincing speech from Naruto.

Naruto just sat at the front of the boat, getting used to his new nose. Sniffing every hundred feet or so, trying to smell land through the fog.

"**Now you've got the hang of it kit.**" Kyuubi grinned as Naruto smelt damp earth a few hundred feet ahead.

'Yosh, finally! So what's next huh? Huh?!' Naruto asked eagerly.

"**Nothing Kit, you have to master these abilities before I teach you anything else.**"

'Awwww come on!'

"**NO!**" The Kyuubi roared, "**Do as I say or I will feast upon your flesh!**"

To a normal person, this would require a change of underwear. Fortunately, Naruto isn't a normal person.

'You dare threaten me?! Do you want me to sleep with my eyes open in my closet from now on!?' Naruto shouted right back with a hint of humour in his voice.

"**GAH! No!**" the Kyuubi shuddered at the memories.

'Then teach me something new.'

"**Erm…No.**" and with that, the Kyuubi kicked Naruto out of his own mind.

"What the hell!" he shouted as everyone gave him another stare.

Naruto looked around, discovering he was the last on the boat except for the driver.

"Oh sorry hehe." He put his hand behind his head and gave his foxy grin as he disembarked.

"Okay, take me to my home, and I mean get me there in one piece." Tazuna said as the group set off.

Kakashi was deep in thought as they travelled through the town and into the forest.

'How did that dobe get so much power in so little time?!' Sasuke thought, angrily. 'I'm not gonna lose to him!'

With that, sasuke focused his senses on the surrounding area. If there was another ambush, he was gonna discover it first.

A shift in the bushes.

"Over there!" Sasuke hurled a kunai into the bushes.

Everyone just looked at him with a confused look on their faces.

Not a sound was heard from the bushes. Not a grunt of pain or the thump of a body.

"Stop trying to scare me you black haired brat!" Tazuna suddenly yelled out.

Kakashi and Naruto's ears suddenly picked up another sound.

"There!" Another kunai found it's way into the bushes.

Sakura just looked at Sasuke with stars in her eyes.

"Sasuke-kun your so brave!" she squealed.

Kakashi made his way through the bushes to investigate and found a panic stricken white bunny.

Sasuke saw what he hurled his kunai at an just scowled.

"Stupid rodent." he muttered.

"Awww don't be so downhearted Sasuke-kun." Sakura made an attempt to hug him to console his embarrassment.

Kakashi was deep in thought again whilst staring at the rabbit.

Glancing at the trees he thought 'So your already here.'

Whoosh!

"Look out!" Came two separate calls from Kakashi and surprisingly Naruto.

'Did he hear it too?' Kakashi thought in record time as everyone hit the deck. A giant sword flew over their head's and embed itself high in a tree. It looked like an oversize butcher's knife with a semicircle on the blade missing and a full small circle towards the end of the blade.

A figure landed on the handle of the sword, looking back at the group.

He wore matching brown and white cameo arm and leg warmers with lined, blue pants. His face was masked with bandages, covering his mouth and short black hair outlined his Kirigakure headband.

"Well, well. If it isn't Zabuza Momochi. Rogue ninja from the village hidden in the mist.

"R…Rouge ninja?" Naruto muttered.

Kakashi reached up to his headband.

"If he's our opponent, I'll need this."

"Kakashi of the sharingan. Did I get that right?" Came Zabuza's could voice. "It's too bad uh, but you'll have to hand over the old man."

Kakashi and Zabuza locked eye(s).

'Sharingan? What's that?' Naruto thought.

"**A powerful dōjutsu…it was the last thing I saw before…Stop talking to me and focus on your enemy!**" Kyuubi's voice boomed back in Naruto's mind.

'Got it.' Naruto didn't bother to argue, this was serious if Kakashi was using his trump card, whatever it was.

"Now quick, get in formation. Protect the bridge builder, and stay out of this fight." Kakashi ordered. "I taught you teamwork, now it's time to use it."

Kakashi lifted his headband back to its proper place, revealing his scar and opening his eye. Showing a red and white eye with black pupil and 3 black tomoe circling it.

"Well, it looks like I get to see the sharingan in action. This is an honour."

Zabuza spoke atop his perch.

"The sharingan. A rare power. It resides in the eye…" Sasuke began.

"Don't explain it's mechanics to an enemy Sasuke, you baka!" Naruto shouted across Kakashi.

Mist descended around the battlefield.

"I don't care what jutsu you have. I need to eliminate the old man." Zabuza began. As soon as he threatened Tazuna, squad 7 formed up a defence around him.

"So, I'll have to eliminate you first eh, Kakashi." With a flash, Zabuza and his sword were gone.

Naruto channelled chakra to his eyes as they became red slits once more.

"Over there, on the water" he shouted out.

Zabuza was just standing on the water, one hand above his head, focusing.

"Ninja art: Hidden mist jutsu." he cried and disappeared in the thick of the mist.

"He'll come after me first. He's a master of the silent killing technique." Kakashi explained. "As the name suggests, it happens in an instant without a sound or warning of any kind. It happens so fast you pass from this life without realizing what has happened. The sharingan cannot fully neutralize it so don't lower your guard. But if we fail we only lose our lives."

"How can you say that!" Sakura reprimanded him.

The mist's thickness increased.

"The land of waves is surrounded by ocean. The swirling mist's are ever present." Tazuna told them.

The mist became so thick Kakashi faded from view when being not even 10 ft in front of them.

"Sensei!" Sakura cried out.

"…Eight points…" Zabuza's voice surrounded them.

"**Watch your back kit.**" The kyuubi warned.

Naruto heard him but continued focusing chakra to his eyes. The more he pushed in, the clearer the mist became.

"…Larynx, Spine, Lungs, Liver, Jugular, Artery, Kidneys, Heart. Now, which will be my kill point?"

Everyone stiffened their stances.

The mist suddenly cleared in a small area. Kakashi flared his chakra to blow away some of the mist.

Sasuke started sweating. Naruto noticed and saw him raise his kunai around his stomach.

'What is he doing?!' He thought.

"Sasuke! Calm down. I'll protect you with my life, all of you. I will not allow my comrades to die. Trust me." Kakashi said giving them one of his famous eye smiles.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Came an eerie voice.

Suddenly, Zabuza was between the genin and Tazuna.

"It's over!" Zabuza calmly said before swinging his sword round, A fear stricken Tazuna couldn't move.

* * *

A/N So that's where I'm gonna leave it for now. Thanks for all za favourites and subscription people, I'll continue writing this story as long as I get reviews :D Till next time, Don't forget to vote on my profile.

Ja Ne


	3. Chapter 3

**The New Naruto**

Yo my Naruto loving readers. A small announcement, everyone that's voted in the reviews need to vote in the poll else their votes won't count.

As the votes stand now:

Naruto x harem: 7

Naruto x Hinata: 1

Naruto x Sakura: 1

Naruto x Tenten: 1

Naruto x Tsunade: 1

Everyone else: 0

Keep voting, I'm closing the poll around the end of the land of waves as that's where the big changes happen and you'll be happy to know I changed the fight scene greatly here which means no more long explainey bits and many more cool fightey parts!

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'_**Hmmm the kit has promise.**__' _- Demon Thinking

**Chapter 3 - The Real Rookie of the Year**

"It's over!" Zabuza calmly said before swinging his sword round, A fear stricken Tazuna couldn't move.

"Don't move!" Kakashi said, his sharing an focusing directly on Zabuza and jumping at him kunai raised.

Drip…Drip…

Small drops of water dripped off Naruto's kunai as the Zabuza water clone gasped for air it could not keep before losing all chakra and becoming a small puddle on the ground.

"N…Naruto?" Kakashi was stunned to say the least. The other two had jumped away from the client at the first sign of danger to them. Naruto however swiftly took out the enemy in the seconds warning he gave them.

"Sensei, behind you!" Naruto shouted as another Zabuza emerged from the mist and swung at Kakashi.

Kakashi couldn't escape, he was already mid-jump at a Zabuza who wasn't there anymore.

Zabuza's sword cut him clean in half like a knife through water.

Wait a moment.

Where Kakashi was, there was now only water.

'The water clone jutsu.' Zabuza thought, 'Can't be…'

"Don't move." A voice behind Zabuza spoke as a kunai was raised to his neck. "Now it's over. You're finished."

"Smart move Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, not moving an inch since he'd sliced Zabuza's neck open

Sakura and Sasuke who'd jumped back were now staring in awe at the 3.

Zabuza began chuckling.

"Finished? You really don't get it do you. Your technique is just a crass imitation. I'll never be defeated by a copycat ninja like you." Zabuza grinned under his mask. "You are full of surprises though. You copied my jutsu when you made your little speech. Nice try, but not that easy to fool."

The Zabuza prisoner burst into water, as Kakashi's blade pieced it's body whilst Zabuza behind Kakashi swung his sword at the jōnin's head.

Kakashi quickly ducked as the sword dug into the ground.

Zabuza reversed his grip and aimed a kick directly at Kakashi.

It never landed as Naruto's leg intercepted Zabuza's, brining is to a stop giving Kakashi those vital seconds to retreat.

"What the…?" Zabuza started before a strong right hand introduced itself to Zabuza's face sending him and his sword spiralling away.

Zabuza turned into a flip and landed cat-like on his feet, crouching down.

"So you wanna play brat?" he shouted, his pride hurt as he, one of the 7 swordsmen of the mist, took a sucker punch from a genin that actually hurt.

"Fine, see if you can keep up with this!" Zabuza sped towards Naruto. Naruto could see the attack coming and made to blokc but wasn't fast enough.

The hilt of Zabuza's sword hit him square in the stomach.

He doubled over in pain before being knocked into the air himself courtesy of a sharp uppercut by Zabuza.

He landed on his pack next to Sakura with a thud.

"Naruto! Are you okay?" She asked him quickly, helping him sit up again.

"How do you like that runt." Zabuza smirked. He turned back to Kakashi only to find him finishing hand seals.

"Lightning style: Lightning Hound jutsu!" Kakashi called out as a dog composed completely of lightning charged Zabuza.

Jumping back, Zabuza performed his own handsigns.

"Water style: Great Waterfall justu!" Backing up to the water's edge, a huge amount of water shot itself at the hound, covering and short circuiting the justu.

The torrent didn't stop though. It shot through the clearing and straight towards the team and their client.

Acting fast, Naruto grabbed Sakura and jumped into the trees while Kakashi took care of Tazuna.

The water quickly let up as the group jumped back down.

"Heh, seems one of you little student didn't make it, Kakashi." Zabuza taunted as the group glared at him.

"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!" a voice shouted as a figure jumped out of the tree nearest Zabuza as a big ball of fire descended upon him, engulfing the swordsman.

Sasuke smirked. The fire quickly cleared as he released the technique, panting a little.

There was nothing left.

No grass or rocks or…body.

Sasuke winced and landed, looking around for the ninja.

"Too slow kid, Water style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

Sasuke turned back to the river only for a large water dragon with yellow menacing eyes to crash into his, sending him skidding away back to his team.

"Shadow clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted out, 9 exact clones of Naruto appeared, complete with red slitted eyes and charged at Zabuza.

"Naruto, wait!" Kakashi shouted but the Narutos continued, throwing kunai and shirken between them at Zabuza.

"Hmph, pathetic." Zabuza sighed as he used the blade of his sword to block and weapons that came close.

"Damn it, we're gonna have to pull out the big guns!" One Naruto yelled as the others just nodded their heads.

Five Naruto withdrew fūma shuriken from their backbacks before the remaing four charged Zabuza again.

Each Naruto approached Zabuza from a different direction, they all made their attempts to beat down Zabuza and fell prey to his blade. The Naruto closest to the shore remained intact however.

Zabuza made his way to the boy when several black were hurled at him. Zabuza quickly turned to face the shuriken, he caught on in his left hand and jumped over the next one. The third clipped his right arm but not badly while the forth missed completely.

'Only four?' Zabuza quickly thought, he quickly scanned all the Naruto in front of him to see all 5 empty handed but with massive grins on their faces.

A light chuckle was heard as he turned his head mid-jump to see the Naruto from before releasing the final shuriken directly at him from 10 feet away.

Thinking quickly, Zabuza hurled his caught shuriken at the new one, cancelling them both out before back flipping to land half way between the single Naruto and the remaining 5.

'Wasn't there…' Zabuza couldn't finish that thought as a small burst of smoke appeared at his feet as a small rock transformed into Naruto bringing a rising uppercut to his face, sending him over the tree tops.

"It's not over yet!" Came a voice over Zabuza and Kakashi elbowed him in the gut, sending him back down to earth, creating a small Zabuza-shaped crater, sending dust flying.

Kakashi landed next to the Naruto that send Zabuza flying as the rest disappeared in a puff of smoke each.

As the smoke settled, it revealed a barely conscious Zabuza trying to struggle to his feet.

"You…you think you've won? Ha! It's not over until…" he fell silent and limp, collapsing back into the crater as two senbon planted themselves in his neck, eyes still open with shock.

Everyone was shocked as they saw the culprit standing in a nearby tree.

The figure just giggled.

"What's so funny?!" Sasuke shouted at the newcomer who had made him miss his chance to finish off the missing nin.

"All it took was two senbon and he's gone for good. Yet you decided to waste all that energy and chakra." The figure spoke, "Thank you though, I have been tracking Zabuza for a long time. Waiting, for this chance to finally take him down." Kakashi cautiously walked over to Zabuza and measure his pluse. Nothing.

"By your mask, I see that you're a tracker ninja from the village hidden in the mist." Kakashi addressed him.

"Impressive, your well informed." The tracker spoke again.

'From his size and voice, he must be the same age as Naruto, yet he's an elite assassin.' Kakashi thought as a soft wind blew across the clearing. 'He's not ordinary kid, but what is he?'

The tracker jumped down to Zabuza's side and checked him over. Now some more of the mist had cleared, the tracker could be seen more clearly. He was dressed in a strange green top with yellow trimming, a pair of dark orange pants and arm warmers with matching sash around the waist. His mask was bone white with two eyes slits, a flame pattern that looked like it was licking the bottom of the mask and the hidden mist village symbol carved into the forehead area.

The tracker then proceeded to lift Zabuza onto his back before speaking again.

"Your struggle is over for now, I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body, they must not be allowed to get into the wrong hands. Please excuse me, farewell."

With a one handed sign, the two disappeared in a swirl of mist and leaves.

* * *

The group just looked at the spot where the two were before snapping back to reality. Kakashi was the first and pulled his headband back down over his sharingan.

"We haven't completed our mission yet. We still have to get the bridge builder to his bridge." Kakashi announced.

"Hehe, sorry I cause all this trouble for ya, but uh you can rest at my house when we get to the village."

"All right, let's get a move on." Kakashi started before kneeling down and taking several deep breaths.

"Kakashi-sensei are you alright?" Sakura cried out, hurrying to his side.

"Your not hurt are you? Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto joined in while Tazuna stood silently looking a little worried with the ever brooding Sasuke, not moving an inch.

"**Do not worry kit, he has pushed his body hard with that sharingan of his and he is just tired.**" The fox's voice returned to Naruto.

'Really? Why?' Naruto thought curiously.

Kyuubi could only face palm.

"**Do I have to spell everything out for you kit? You are doing the same at this moment, your continuously pushing chakra to your eyes to give yourself an advantage. You gain enhanced sight while your sensei gains the sharingan's powers. Judging by his last name, he shouldn't have the sharingan at all.**" Kyuubi explained.

'Huh? I'm still pushing chakra to my eyes?' Naruto withdrew the chakra from his eyes and blinked. They were back to their old crystal blue.

"**I must say I'm a little impressed kit, before the fight you could barely walk and channel chakra, now your fighting full on with it and don't even notice yourself doing it.**" The Kyuubi grinned.

'Cool! So will you teach me something new now huh?' Naruto asked much to the great beasts annoyance.

"**Patience kit, if you haven't noticed, you yourself are wearing a bit thin on the fatigue scale right now. That blow to the stomach really knocked you down a notch. Rest for now and I will teach you tomorrow.**" He replied and with that, the fox curled up at the back of his cage and began to snore.

'Tsh, no way anyone falls asleep that fast. Stupid fox.' Naruto thought.

By the time Naruto was fully focussed on the real world again, he noticed he was breathing almost as heavy as Kakashi-sensei.

* * *

After taking a short break, the group set off once again for the land of waves.

With only a few miles left to go, the group reached the town by late afternoon, immediately heading to Tazuna's house.

Immediately after entering the door way, Tazuna received a frying pan to the face.

"Took you long enough dad!" A black haired woman shouted, stepping into view.

"Tsunami, my dear, we got a little side tracked by some enemy ninja but nothing these fine ones couldn't handle." He smiled at his daughter. "Is the spare room clean? We have to get this one to lay down for a while." pointing to Kakashi.

"Yes the room's clean dad, just take him up and I'll start dinner." Tsunami made her way back into the kitchen, taking her frying pan with her.

"Try to stay out of her way for now you lot," Tazuna whispered to the team, "When she gets mad, she starts throwing things…heavy things." he finished, shuddering.

Sasuke and Naruto quickly hurried up the stairs with Kakashi's arms round their shoulders and found the spare room.

Removing Kakashi's bedroll from his pack, the two boys slipped him into bed and walked for the door.

"I'm really proud of the way you boys handled yourselves today." Kakashi called out to them.

They both turned to face their sensei.

"Wasn't nothing…" Sasuke brushed it off, leaving the room.

"Thanks Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said before heading out the door and closing it quietly behind him.

* * *

On his way back downstairs, Naruto heard a soft whimpering from one of the rooms. Doubling back, he peered through the slightly ajar door to see a young boy kneeling on top of his dresser looking out to the sea, crying whilst looking at something Naruto couldn't quite make out.

He was about to go comfort the boy when he decided it was best to leave the boy and ask the other residents of the house if they knew anything about this. After all, no one wants a stranger bursting into their room asking them why their crying.

* * *

The rest of the night passes quickly for team 7. Dinner was prepared and eaten in the rooms prepared for them to sleep in, and after dinner, everyone decided to get an early night and talk in the morning.

Naruto fell asleep that night with a feeling of pride. He was proud that Kakashi sensei finally acknowledged his abilities as a ninja, even if he did get a little help from the Kyuubi.

* * *

A/N: That's your lot for this chapter, woo that was fun. Mental note, write more flashy fight scenes. How did you guys find it, tell me how you found the fight and you could win a free cookie!* The poll will be up for around 2-3 more chapters so get voting people!

Ja Ne


	4. Chapter 4

**The New Naruto**

I'm back people. Right time for training.

As the votes stand now:

Naruto x Harem: 10

Naruto x Haku: 4

Naruto x Sakura: 3

Naruto x Kurenai: 2

Naruto x Tsunade: 2

Naruto x Hinata: 2

Naruto x Temari: 2

Naruto x Ino: 1

Naruto x Tenten: 1

Naruto x Anko : 1

Naruto x Shion: 1

Naruto x Isaribi: 1

Everyone else: 0

Only a few chapters left to vote, appears people want a harem more than anything. If you don't want this then keep voting.

child of neglect: Yes this is a new Naruto but the fic is just getting started. If I give Naruto too much power too quickly it gets boring and predictable.

SoulDefender**:**Thanks, its what I was going for and this fic will hopefully continue for a long while yet.

raw666: Naruto as well as others will grow stonger as time goes on but things take time to develop. You can't go to the gym once and come out with a 6 pack. Not unless u live there for a long time. Skills take time and practise to master leading to creating new, better skills such as manga Naruto's resengan. It all begins this chapter though so I hope you enjoy.

Vaanarash: I know I probably make errors, this is because I wrote ½ this chapter and all the other chapters between 11pm-4am on different nights. When your tired you make mistakes and I have no beta reader. I have taken your comment on bored and will be mre carful next, time. :p

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 4 - Time to Train **

The waves licked the docks as the sun rose the morning after the run in with Zabuza.

Kakashi, still dressed in his jōnin uniform, was going over the battle again and again in his head.

'Something just doesn't seem right.' he thought as he door creaked open, revealing Tsunami.

"Waking up huh. Are you alright?" She asked, laying a small plate of food and drink by his bedroll.

"I've been better, I'm just a little tired is all." he replied sitting up and grabbing the drink, taking a sip.

"Well just rest until you get your strength back" Tsunami said, smiling at the silver haired jōnin as he lay back down.

Tsunami made to leave just as: Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna made their way into the room.

"Morning Kakash-sensei. Feeling better?" a slightly concerned Naruto asked.

"Much better, thank you Naruto, just a bit stiff still." Kakashi replied, felxing his neck muscles giving a soft click.

"Listen sensei, your sharingan is amazing and everything, but if it puts that much strain on you maybe it's not worth it." Sakura told him, not knowing just how often his sharingan saved his and other's lives.

"Well you lot did manage to take out one of the most powerful ninja assassins so we should be safe for a while." Tazuna sighed, wiping his brow of sweat.

"What about the boy that took him away?" Sakura asked.

"He's from the elite tracking unit from the village hidden in the mist. Those masks are only worn by the most elite shinobi." Kakashi began.

Everyone listened in, all except Naruto who had annoying case of bored Kyuubi to deal with.

"**Wow this is boring.**" the great tailed demon complained to his jailor. "**Where's the channel changer? What else is on?**" he chuckled, looking around his cage looking for a control.

'Oh haha very funny baka fox.' Naruto thought, zoning out of the real world. 'When are you gonna teach me something new huh? It's tomorrow already.' Naruto smiled. He wasn't truly an idiot, he just liked messing with the fox. Theres nothing more fun than winding up an all powerful entity by pretending not to understand a single word he says.

"**It's only just morning!**" The fox roared, "**God you like a child. Wanting a new toy when he's finished with the old one.**"

'Well you did say I'd mastered the eyes, I bet I can see through a genjutsu at 100 yards!' Naruto thought proudly.

"**Compared to my 10000 yards, yours is comparable to me when I was a few days old.**" Kyuubi smirked.

Naruto was just gob smacked.

Both entities did care for the other somewhat but when one is stuck inside the other, in all sense of the term "bonded at the hip", you can't help but try to annoy one another. Especially when both barely had anyone to talk to for 12 years.

'Tsh, like I care,' Naruto crossed his arms, acting hurt, 'You've had hundreds of years to get better, I've had two days.'

"**Well many more days and maybe you'll be as good as me…in a hundred years or so.**" Kyuubi said, letting out a roar of laughter at Naruto's shocked face.

Naruto was just filled with determination and let the fox know.'Just you wait! I'll master your powers and become even more powerful than you! I won't stop until I learn all of your powers and master them better than you ever will!'

The fox expected this but was taken aback a little at the fierce determination written all over Naruto's "serious face".

'…**Kit's finally got the fire in his belly going again. Now I just need him to focus it.**' The fox thought proudly.

"**Well? What are you waiting for?**" Kyuubi grinned and kicked Naruto back into reality.

"…and obliterate every trace of their existence. That's their specialty." Kakashi finished as Sasuke and Sakura's eyes widened. Naruto just remained oblivious to this information.

* * *

Else where, a certain masked ninja was helping another treat his injuries.

"The mist has cleared." The now unmasked "ANBU" member said, "Next time…will you be alright?""Next time, I'll see right through his sharingan!"

* * *

'If Zabuza if finished, why do I feel this way?' As soon as Kakashi finished explaining ABNU Black ops to his students, memories faded in from when he himself was ANBU. 'Something's wrong, it's like I'm missed something…'

"Kakashi-sensei? Are you feeling okay?" Sakura asked with a worried look on her face.

"Hmmm oh yes. To finish what I was saying. Tracker ninja deal with the body immediately, on the spot, so there's no room for error." Kakashi continued.

"Is that really important?" Sakura asked, confused.

Something decided to click in Naruto's mind at that instant.

"Zabuza's still alive!" He shouted out. Sakura, Tazuna and Tsunami gasped.

"Wha? You can't be serious?" Sakura shouted at Naruto.

"No, really! That masked guy hit him with two tiny needles and took him away. He could be a good actor or something and pretend to be dead or something." Naruto explained his theory. While not entirely true, he wasn't entirely wrong.

"Close Naruto, and I'm afraid with all the evidence I have considered, it seems to me that Zabuza could still be alive and kicking." Kakashi sighed.

Sasuke's eyes just widened at the possibility of having a rematch with the assassin. Kakashi's words had confirmed his suspicions.

"Kakashi-sensei, you checked him yourself, you said his heart stopped." Sakura began to panic, she couldn't bear to face the bloodlust of that terrible jōnin again.

"His heart did stop, but, that was just a temporary state, to simulate death…"

"**Well, well, well kit. Looks like we've got ourselves a rematch.**" The fox chuckled back in Naruto's head.

'Hmph, I thought you were going back to sleep or summin, since you won't train me.' Naruto thought rather rudely at the fox.

"**The circumstances have changed as you figured out yourself, it seems I'll have to give you your next lessom early.**"

"…from these two factors, we can conclude that the hunter wasn't trying to destroy Zabuza, he was trying to save him."

"Come on, your over thinking this aren't you."

"Encountering suspicion, the ninja prepares quickly. Hesitation leads to disaster. Every shinobi knows this saying." Kakashi told him.

"Sensei, you said, "Prepare quickly" but how can we do that when your in bed like this." Sakura asked.

Kakashi just chuckled, "I can still train you."

"Hold on! A little last minute training won't make us strong enough to fight Zabuza. You could barely defeat him even with your sharingan!" she objected.

Inside Sakura's mind, thoughts brew that she didn't have the nerve to say. These took a form of their own, a duplicate of Sakura herself called "Inner Sakura.

'What?! Are you trying to get us killed?! Cha!' This mental form of Sakura shouted in her mind.

"Sakura, why were we able to stop Zabuza? Because, you all helped. You've grown." Kakashi complimented them, "Naruto."

"Yea?"

"You've grown the most."

"So you noticed Kakashi-sensei." Naruto smiled, showing off his biceps.

"Your all idiots!" came a shout from the doorway as a small figure walked in.

'It's that kid from yesterday.' Naruto thought, remembering what he saw through the boy's door.

The boy just ran over to his grandfather.

"Inari that was very rude. These ninja helped your grandpa and brought him here safely." Tsunami scolded.

"It's ok, I'm rude to them too." Tazuna smiled.

'Cha! Who does that kid think he is, insulting us like that! Especially Sasuke-kun!' Inner Sakura shouted out again."Can't you see these people are going to die, Gato's men will come an kill them."

A dark chuckle was heard.

Everyone turned to see the source, it was Sasuke.

"So, Gato and his men are gonna come…perfect."

Sasuke rose from his spot on the floor and left the room.

"Sa…Saskue-kun?" Was all Sakura could say.

The remaining Squad 7 members were surprised at Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke stepped off the dock and looked back at the house, a smirk pasted on his face as he entered the forest nearby.

* * *

About an hour later, after everyone else had eaten lunch; Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi on a crutch head into the forest.

Kakashi lead the two while Naruto stood next to Sakura.

"What do you think Kakashi-sensei's gonna teach us?" Naruto asked her.

"I don't know do I Naruto. Just be patient and keep an eye out for Sasuke-kun." She yelled back.

"Geez, what's your problem Sakura, I was only making conversation."

The rest of the walk was spent in silence with Sakura looking round every few minutes, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sasuke.

* * *

They arrived in a clearing to see splinters on the ground. The trees around the area were full of slash marks, kunai and shuriken.

Sakura and Naruto were shocked.

"What happened here?" Naruto asked, not really expecting an answer, running around the clearing.

Kakashi just hobbled over to one of the trees an examined it.

Sakura just stood in shock, that was until Naruto snapped her out if it.

"Kakashi-sensei, I've found Sasuke!"

Both Kakashi and Sakura's necks nearly snapped at the force their heads turned.

"Ahhh, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out hurrying over to where Naruto was with Kakashi following slowly behind her.

Sasuke was propped up against a tree, his head leaning forward with several cuts and rips over his clothes.

Sakura shook his shoulders lightly,

"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun! Please wake up!"

"…get off me Sakura…"

Sakura jumped back, Sasuke's head an eyes rose to meet her own.

"Your so annoying." he said and lowered his head again.

Kakashi finally made it over to the tree an sighed at his student's body.

Sasuke was back in the same position Naruto found him in, only this time, faint snores could be heard from him.

"Looks like he pushed himself too hard." Kakashi told them. "Well, seeing as he's one his own training, I'll have to teach him this later."

Kakashi put his hands in the ram hand seal and a small wave of dust lifted off the floor.

Naruto and Sakura both looked up at Kakashi as he walked up to a nearby tree.

Reaching up with his left foot and placing it on the bark of the tree, Kakashi began walking up the tree, defying gravity.

Naurto and Sakura could only stare in shock as even in his fatigued state, Kakashi could still hang upside down on a tree brach with only his feet to keep him there.

"Surprised? With the power of chakra, this is possible and can be a huge advantage in battle and spying." Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Wow Kakashi-sensei, how do you do it?" Naruto asked, almost jumping in joy.

"Just focus your chakra towarsds the soles of your feet. Then use it to connect to the tree. This will improve your chakra control. Learning how to draw chakra to any body part and maintaining the flow of chakra will enable you to master any jutsu."

"**The red eye speaks with wisdom.**" The fox's voice was back.

'Any tips you can give me fox?' Naruto thought.

"**Like you taught that young kid, there are no shortcuts.**" Naruto seemed a bit downhearted at this, "**However…**" Naruto bounced right back. "**…now that our chakra is no longer fighting each other, you should find you have much better control over it.**"

'Now that you mention it, my shadow clones did seem a bit easier to make when we fought Zabuza.' Naruto pondered.

"**Listen kit, the sooner you learn this, the sooner I can give you my next lesson.**" The Kyuubi smirked, leaning back in its cage. "**Until then, all I need is some popcorn and a drink coz this is gonna be a funny show.**"

'Oh yea?! I'll show you ya baka fox!' With that, Naruto awoke to see Kakashi throw two kunai just in front of him and Sakura.

"Use the kunai to mark the tree at the highest point you can climb. Then try and beat that point. Try running to build some momentum. Ready?…Go!"

Naruto and Sakura both performed the ram hand signs and two small waves of dust were pushed away from their feet.

Naruto sprinted at the tallest tree he could see.

"This'll be a cinch!" He shouted, proudly.

He lifted his foot and it stuck to the bark.

'Yes!' he thought as he slowed down a little, continuously trying his hardest to keep the chakra flowing.

He lifted his foot to take the next step and the other came loose.

Taking a swipe at the tree, he marked his position before he realised how high he'd climbed.

Naruto began to fall and his hand shot out to the right, latching to a branch. He panicked and scrambled to get both of his hands on the branch.

"Phew, that was a close one." He sighed and pulled himself up with his hands.

Settling on the branch he looked over to see how Sakura was doing.

Catching a glimpse of pink, he looked above him.

Sakura was sitting proudly just below the leaves of her tree, kunai embed in the bark of the tree, sticking her tongue out at Naruto.

'Hmmm it seems Naruto's chakra control has vastly improved. It must be all the shadow clones he makes.' Kakashi thought. 'As for Sakura, seems as though she's the better of the two. I wonder how good Sasuke's is though.'

Sakura looked below Naruto when she spotted something shiny on the ground. She just burst out laughing.

"What's so funny Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, tilting his head, confused.

"You can't even hold onto a kunai, how do you expect to become a good ninja if you can't even do that right hahaha." She laughed.

Naruto peered over his legs at the ground. Point down in the grass was his kunai.

"Damn it, how am I gonna whoa…ahhh!" Naruto lent forward to much and fell off his branch, watching the earth come rushing to meet him.

He closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain.

Clunk…It never came.

Slowly he opened his eyes and saw the ground an inch from his nose.

"What the? How am I…?" he began and looked at his feet. Both were on tiptoes planted to the tree.

No sooner did he realise this than he hit the floor.

"Oof."

Kakashi was now right side up again was surprise at Naruto's actions.

Inside his head, a mighty roar of laughter could be heard ringing through the sewers.

'Such a small area so soon…' Kakashi thought.

"Alright Naruto, enough laying around. Try again."

A short distance away, hidden behind a tree, A small boy dressed in green overalls, blue sandals and a white and blue hat watched the two genin run up and own the trees.

"What a waste of time…" he muttered before walking off.

* * *

The door opened to reveal two broad henchmen and their leader, Gato.

He was a short business man with matching attire, black circle shades and crazy dirty blonde hair.

He walked up to Zabuza's bed.

"Alright, Let's hear what you have to say about this fiasco. And don't play possum I know you can talk." His hand reached out to remove the bandages around his mouth.

A hand shot out and crushed the other's wrist. Gato yelped in pain.

"Keep your filthy hands off of him!" Zabuza's "ANBU" guard warned.

"Haku!" Zabuza said. The instant he warned her, she let go of his wrist.

Gato quickly hurried behind his two body guards.

"Once chance! That's it! If you fail this time, I'll cut you off and they'll be no one left to cover for you!" he yelled before quickly escorting himself out.

"Haku…"

"Yes? Zabuza?"

"I have a bad feeling in my gut…"

"That's just the herbs doing their work." Haku giggled.

Underneath Zabuza's mask, he smiled.

"No, apart from that…When we go to finish off Kakashi… If something goes wrong you leave me and run…"

"But…"

"But nothing! You will do as I order and I order you to run if I should fall."

Haku had a look of dismay on her face.

"…Understood, Zabuza."

* * *

Their training had been going on a while now. Naruto and Sakura were both worn out and had multiple scratches where they had fallen. Sasuke had woken up a short while after they had started and Kakashi had given him the run down.

Sakura currently held the title of highest run, she was only a few steps off the tree top. Unfortunately that's when her chakra pool had run dry, she couldn't make it half way up without falling. She kept at it though, trying to extend her chakra pool so she could catch up with Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto was next, falling only 3 feet short of Sakura's height. He had the chakra and the control, he just wanted to let his Sakura-chan be the first to make it to the top. Kyuubi had of course reprimanded him for this. To make up for it. He told Naruto to now climb it with his hands only, which meant doing a handstand.

Sasuke was rested and ready though his chakra control was even worse than Naruto's and only made it half way up. Luckily for the others, he was too tired to brood from his earlier workout.

"Alright everyone, that's enough. It's getting late so we better head back." Kakashi announced.

Sakura just flopped onto the floor, Sasuke and Naruto however landed neatly after finishing their final run.

They all began to head in.

* * *

Once they reached the end of the forest, Sakura rested her back against a tree.

"Hey, you ok Sakura?" Naruto asked, concerned.

"I'm okay Naruto, I'm just a little tired is all." She replied.

Pushing herself off the tree, she took another step and collapsed to her knees.

Naruto gave her a sympathetic look. He walked round to her front and bent down.

"Here. I'll give you a lift back." He muttered.

Sakura wasn't one to deny help when she really needed it and climbed onto Naruto.

He gripped under her knees and began walking back while she wrapped her arms round his head.

Naruto walked into the house and made a beeline for Sakura's room, dodging Tsunami who was setting the table for them.

He hurried up to Sakura's temporary room and lay her down inside her sleeping bag.

She had fallen asleep on they way back.

Naruto smiled at her as he pulled the covers up to her neck and left the room.

On his way through the kitchen he grabbed his plate of food and made for the door.

"And just where do you think your going?" A stern voice called behind Naruto.

He froze, like a deer caught in headlights he slowly turned to face Tsunami armed with a spatula.

"Erm…I was just gonna train, I just need a snack to recover." He gave her his fox-like grin.

Tsunami was not impressed.

"You are going to stay here and eat with the rest of us like a good ninja." She ordered as Naruto opened the door.

"So you think I'm a good ninja? Thanks, then like a good ninja, I'll escape with my objective." He smirked and there was a puff of smoke as Naruto stood there. This Naruto had no plate of food however and just burst into smoke.

"Replacement mixed with shadow clones…" Kakashi muttered, entering the kitchen.

* * *

A short distance from the house, Naruto just let out a long laugh and head back to the clearing in the forest, eating his dinner all the while.

Naruto heard a large yawn in the back of his mind and he felt his prisoner waking up.

He left his plate on a stump and walked into the middle of the clearing and sat down.

'All right fox, I can run up and down the tree with out falling on both my hands and feet, now teach me!' He thought.

"**Good evening to you too(!)**" The fox said sarcastically, "**So you can do it on your hands and feet…Now just your tongue.**"

'NO WAY! I've waiting all day just teach me whatever you have planned!'

'**Hehe, he's gonna regret that.**' The fox thought as he burned some information into Naruto's head.

'Gah! What the hell. What did you do now?' he thought, clutching his head in pain again.

"**You're going to learn a very useful jutsu tonight…**" The fox began. Unfotunately, as soon as Naruto heard the words "learn" and "jutsu" in the same sentence, it set him off.

"Alright! Woohoo!" he shouted out, jumping up and down.

"**CALM DOWN!**" Naruto froze.

"**I know your not this big of an idiot so stop acting like one around me. We are together until you die and I am not putting up with that baka exterior all the time.**"

Naruto just smirked.

'When did you figure it out?'

"**I took you up on your offer and "saw for myself". When I linked our minds, that also gave me access to all your memories and previous thoughts. That's how I knew you had talked to the Hokage's son.**" Kyuubi explained.

'Tsh, find anything interesting?' Naruto asked, knowing exactly what the fox had seen having lived through it himself.

"…**enough.**" Was all he answered. "**Enough to know that you aren't the idiot you pretend to be, and I for one am not going to put up with it.**"

'So what are the hand signs for? I thought you, being a fox, couldn't use them.' Naruto asked, talking about the signs the Kyuubi had burned into his memory.

"**I do no need such trivial things to unleash my power. You, however, do. It's called, "The Kyuubi's Claw". When used correctly, it can cut through any substance known to Kyuubi…Me.**" He grinned.

'Cool, but you know I'm going to have to rename it. People won't be happy with the name.' Naruto reasoned.

The Kyuubi recalled painful memories of the boy, who did not understanding why the villagers called him "Fox".

'**A sneaky way to avoid the Third's law I see.**' Kyuubi thought.

"**Why not rename it "Foxes Claw"?**" he asked.

'Why would I call it that?' Naruto retorted.

"**Perform the hand signs and channel some chakra into your right hand and you'll see.**" Kyuubi grinned.

Naruto did as he was told and gasped at the results.

"Whoa…nice." He smirked.

* * *

Back at the house there was a loud crash coming from the forest. Kakashi put Sakura's food by her head and looked out the window.

Kakashi could just see the top of a tree and it was collapsing.

"What the hell is he doing?" Kakashi wondered. Naruto just did not have that sort of power to take out a tree unless he spent all this time hacking the same spot with a kunai. Kakashi couldn't sense any danger either. Nor any trace of Naruto's "prisoner's" chakra.

* * *

Three more trees fell that night and Naruto did not return.

Kakashi resolved to look for him as soon as he finished breakfast, finally rid of that damn crutch.

Tsunami served breakfast bright and early.

When all but Inari were present, Naruto walked in through the door without a care in the world, plate in hand.

"Morning everyone." he smiled as he put his plate in the sink not a moment too soon.

Wham! He tasted wood as his head hit the floor. Sakura was seething with rage.

"How dare you make us worry all night Naruto!" she yelled.

"Ah Sakura-chan. I was just training, no big deal." He waved his hands in front of his face, trying to prevent another punch.

"No big deal?! Why you…"

"That's enough you two!"

They both turned to see Tsunami with her hands on her hips, a look of annoyance on her face.

"Sit down and eat your breakfast THEN spar!" she yelled at them.

Faster than a blink of an eye. The two were at their places at the table.

"Wow…she's scary when she's mad." Kakashi whispered to Tazuna.

"You think this is bad? You should see the time I tried to bring a girl home, she…"

Clang! A frying pan flew between the two adults like a kunai at it's target.

A shadowy eyed Tsunami was holding another one.

"What was that!? Dad?!" She said in sickly sweet voice.

Poof! Only Tsunami was left at the table as both Ninja and grandfather alike had inhaled their food and got out of the house as fast as possible.

Inari chose this moment to walk into the room.

"Morning mum, what's for AHHH!" He took one look at her face and even he knew the wrath of Tsunami was something to be feared and disappeared in a flash too, deciding to skip breakfast today.

* * *

Today, Tazuna was working on the bridge. Sakura was on guard. Kakashi was…somewhere and Naruto and Sasuke were allowed to return to the forest to train some more.

They split up to train today. Naruto fled deeper into the forest as Sasuke just returned to his tree climbing. Determined to reach the top before dinner.

After about 10 minutes worth of warm ups. Sasuke ran towards the tree. He sprinted towards the top and passed yesterday's last marker.

A large crash was heard throughout the forest.

Sasuke couldn't help it. He lost his balance and flow of chakra and came crashing back down to earth without marking his position.

'What was that?' He thought, 'That came from the direction Naruto went.'

Forgoing his training, Sasuke hurried in the direction of the crash and Naruto. Not out of concern for Naruto, but so he could see what kind of power made a sound like that.

He heard heavy breathing nearby and whirled around looking for it. Catching a glimpse or orange, he ran over to it.

Naruto was standing over a broken tree. It had fallen due to the power of his latest attack.

"Seems I've got at least a grip on it." Naruto said as Sasuke walked up to him.

"What happened here dobe?" Sasuke asked, looking over at the mutilated tree.

"My latest jutsu, one that'll beat the pants off of anyone!" He shouted out, his mask of idiocy back in place.

With no one and nothing else around, Sasuke concluded that Naruto must've been the one to destroy the tree.

"…Show me." he simply asked.

"Tsh, yea right, like I'm gonna show you my new strongest attack." Naruto laughed and began to walk off.

"I said show me!" Sasuke shouted and aimed a punch at Naruto's back.

Reacting quickly, Naruto sidestepped the punch and jumped into a tree.

"Only if you catch me." He chuckled.

Sasuke grinned, thinking how easy it would be before at least 50 Naruto clones surrounded him.

"Catch us if you can!" They all shouted and jumped off into different parts of the forest.

"Damn you!" Sasuke muttered and jumped after the nearest one.

* * *

A few minutes later, Naruto left the forest smiling.

"That should take him a while." He chuckled and paused for a second.

"That's four he's caught." regaining the memories of the shadow clone as he head towards the village.

Even before Naruto entered the town he could tell things were bad.

Buildings had chunks missing, some places look like they could collapse at any moment. There were even big patches of black burned boards where houses once stood.

"Must be Gato's doing…" Naruto mumbled as he passed many sections with burned down houses.

Making it into town, Naruto found the atmosphere to be a bit livelier, even if only a little

This also meant the amount of beggars increased as well.

Desipte having the most fierce tailed beast in his belly, Naruto felt nearly heart broken at the amount of kids he saw: scrounging in bins, robbing from shops and dressed in rags.

He swore to himself that he would help this land however he can.

Finding what he was looking for, Naruto entered a small shop entitled "Koromo's Clothes".

The shop was dusty and run down but clothes stood proudly on display, gathering dust like the desk top.

The old shop owner looked up from his counter. His white beard and bald head reflecting a few rays of the sun.

"Huh? Good afternoon sir. Can I help you with anything?" he asked.

"Err yea…" Naruto slowly asked, still taking a look around the place. "I would like some much darker clothes than this with a kind of black and dark orange motif."

The owner glanced up and down Naruto.

"Are you a ninja young sir?"

"Yes, why? Is something wrong?"

"No, no," the elderly man replied. "In fact, I think I have just the thing for you." He scuttled off into the back room of the shop.

Naruto patiently waited, looking around at the clothes.

Something hit the floor in the back and Naruto heard the old man curse. He chuckled to himself as the man came back.

"Is this the kid of thing you are looking for?" He asked, taking the dusty lid off the box.

Inside sat a long sleeve black jacket with dark orange strips down the arms.

Pants that fit perfectly with more dark orange stripes on the inside of the black pant legs. Complete with new blue sandals.

"It's perfect!" Naruto shouted, almost making the poor old man deaf. "How much?"

"Only 3,000 Ryo." the old man told Naruto with hope in his eyes.

Even without his enhanced vision, Naruto could see how desperate the man was to sell something.

"Old man, how long has this town been like this?" Naruto asked.

The shopkeeper lowered his head and sat back behind his desk.

"It seems like forever now, the ruthless "businessman" Gato has drained this country of everything. Money, resources,…hope."

Naruto thought if he was going to start helping the country, what better time than the now.

"How much did you say this was?" Naruto asked again.

"Uh…3,000 Ryo. Please say you'll buy it."

"Here, this is all I got." Naruto opened Gama-chan and emptied it's contents onto the desk top. "I want you to go out and buy up all the food you can, minus what I owe you for the outfit, and help everyone who's hungry."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened as he shifted through the notes and coins, finding well over 10'000 Ryo.

"A…Are you serious?!" The shopkeeper's eyes were filled with the same hope he'd seen in Tazuna's eyes when he talked about the bridge.

Naruto just nodded.

"I place my trust in you sir." Naruto picked up the dusty box and opened the door, "Make sure my trust in you is not misplaced." he called back with a little killer intent in his voice and left the store.

* * *

Naruto arrived back at the house as Tsunami slammed the door out of the kitchen and ran upstairs calling after Inari.

Naruto entered the kitchen to find his lukewarm dinner still on his plate and Tazuna with tears in his eyes. The rest of team 7 had gathered round the old man and he was telling his tale about why Inari was the way he was now.

* * *

Half an hour later, as Naruto finished his meal, Tazuna finished his tale.

"…we lost out will…"

Naruto was looking hard at the table and his empty plate, thinking about everything that he had seen and heard.

He rose from the table, picked up his package and head for his room.

"Naruto? Where are you going?" Sakura called out, a little worried for him. He hadn't said a word through Tazuna's entire story.

Naruto said only one word.

"Training…" before he left the room and went upstairs.

As he passed Inari's room he heard the young boy still whimpering while his mother tried to comfort him as much as she could.

He left the box by his bedroll and jumped out of the window into the night.

* * *

The sun rose next morning bright and early as usual. Haku revelled in the morning sun creeping through the branches in the forest.

Haku had just started collecting special herbs to speed up Zabuza's recovery when he stumbled upon a small orange figure.

Haku recognised him from the battle between him and Zabuza.

He reached out to grab Naruto's throat.

The kid just rolled over when a beam of sunlight hit his face Haku was previously blocking.

Poor Haku was now conflicted. Remove an obstacle for Zabuza or leave the boy alive to threaten them once more.

"Wake up, you'll catch cold if you stay out here." Haku nudged Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto slowly stirred awake and opened his eyes. First thing he saw was an out of focus pink blob.

"Sakura-chan? That you?" He asked, holding his hand in the way of the light, using the other to wipe his eyes.

He finally regained normal vision and saw the Haku's smiling face staring back at his own. "She" was dressed in a bright pink dress complete with dark pink swirls.

"Morning sleepy head."

"Morning? Already? Man how long was I training?" He asked himself.

"Well you fell asleep out here so quite I while I expect." Haku answered for him, giving him a warm smile.

"What'cha got there?" Naruto asked looking into the basket.

"Herbs, I need them to help my friend get better." Haku replied.

"You uh…You want some help?" Naruto blushed.

"Why thank you, that would be lovely."

Naruto began helping Haku gather enough herbs into her basket to fill it.

"So, you're a ninja are you? I gather from your headband your from the leaf village."

"Sure am." Naruto yanked a fistful of herbs from the ground too hard and fell backward.

Haku giggled at the sight of Naruto acting like a turtle on it's back.

"Yea, I'm from the leaf, this is actually my first time outside the village."

"Really? Well you must be training hard to live up to all the other ninja." Haku smiled again.

"Sure am, I just made up a new jutsu that's the strongest ever." Naruto said proudly.

"Really, why would you need such powerful techniques?" Haku asked.

"So I can become Hokage one day. I am going to change the way my village works then maybe I can help places like these out better." Naruto stated proudly. "Then everyone will respect me."

"What about family? Are you doing this to make your parents proud? Or to make that someone precious to you see you can protect them?"

Naruto looked at little downhearted at this.

"I don…I don't have any family. I've been on my own ever since I can remember…"

'He's like me then.' Haku thought as her mind drifted back to how she first met Zabuza.

"What about you? Whose this friend your taking care of?" Naruto asked, bringing Haku back to reality.

"Me? He saved my life, it's only right I do my best to protect him like he has to me. He is my only precious person." Haku replied. "When you fight to protect someone, you become truly strong."

Naruto thought back to Tazuna's story, what Kakashi said before the battle with Zabuza and finally when he fought to protect Iruka-sensei when Mizuki attacked. He took out a chūnin with a single jutsu that day. Albeit he did a lot of taijutsu but still.

"Yea, I know what you mean." Naruto smiled.

"Keep training like this and you'll become much stronger." Haku said as he rose to his feet, taking his basket and began walking away. "We'll meet again sometime…oh and by the way, I'm a boy."

Naruto just watched Haku walk away. He then stood up and made his way back to the house before muttering,

"Yea right."

* * *

Sasuke was in the forest, looking for the dobe who just didn't know when to quit.

"What a baka." he thought.

Sasuke looked up ahead and saw a guy dressed in pink pass him.

Something tried to make itself known at the back of his mind. Sasuke just ignored it however. If it was something important he would remember it later.

The two passed in silence.

"Naruto? Where are you?" Sakura called out as she and Kakashi walked through the forest, also looking for the blonde genin.

"Over here Sakura-chan!" Naruto voice called out from somewhere up ahead.

Sakura and Kakashi arrived a little further from their usual training spot to find Naruto standing on the topmost branch of a tree.

He threw his kunai back at Kakashi's feet.

"I finally mastered it…Kakashi…sensei." Naruto shouted down at his two team members before falling unconscious with fatigue and losing balance on his branch.

"Ahhh Naruto!" Sakura called out as Naruto fell faster and faster.

Kakashi was about to jump when Naruto stopped falling.

He had one hand planted on the tree and "woke up".

"You guys really fell for it haha." Naruto laughed as he saw the look on their faces.

"Naruto! We were worried about you!" Sakura threatened as inner sakura fumed in her mind.

'I'm gonna kill that little dork! Cha!' she shouted.

'Why do I think this is going to end badly.' Kakashi thought as Naruto walked back down the tree.

Sakura lashed out at him but he simply sidestepped it.

Sakura was confused for a moment then threw another punch at his head.

Naruto's hand caught hers.

"Stop doing that Sakura-chan. It's getting really old, really fast." he said, letting go of her hand as she just stood there, stunned.

"Naruto, have you seen Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, glancing around the clearing.

"No I haven't, why? Awww did Sasuke miss me?" he laughed as Sasuke entered the clearing.

"Like that would ever happen dobe." he brooded as he made his way up to Kakashi.

"Well, looks like the gangs all here." he eye-smiled. "Ready for more training?"

* * *

Night fell. Zabuza felt his strength returning to him, Haku pondered on the morning's conversation with a certain blonde, and Sasuke had finally reached the top of the tree with Sakura's help. Our favourite blonde was drilling through some unique taijutsu moves he wouldn't allow Kakashi to see.

The group entered the kitchen exhausted, both Sakura and Sasuke collapsed into their chairs while Naruto was still fighting with Kakashi.

"I just want to check if your doing it correctly Naruto." Kakashi reasoned.

"I know what I'm doing sensei, I just want an ace up my sleeve." Naruto argued back. "That's that Kakashi-sensei and I'm not changing my mind."

Kakashi decided to pull "a Sasuke" and just eat his dinner quietly.

"You lot look like hell, what have you been up to?" Tazuna asked politely.

"We've been training to get stronger. All of us can reach the top of the trees with our chakra." Saukra beamed, suddenly full of energy now some food was in front of her.

"That reminds me. Naruto, Sasuke, you two will be guarding Tazuna tomorrow on the bridge." Kakashi told them.

"Good, good." Tazuna replied. Finished off his own meal and letting out a large sigh of satisfaction.

"In a few days, the bridge will be finished." Tauna stated.

"You've done well dad, but try to stay careful." Tsunami asked as she cleared the plates.

"I have been meaning to ask but haven't had the chance till now. Why did you decide to stay and protect me? Even after you found out I lied to bring you here."

"Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive. That was a quote from the first Hokage."

Inari began thinking about the quote and glanced at a tired Naruto who'd decided the table made a good pillow. Memeories came back again of his late father.

'If you care about something, protect it with both arms.' the words drifted back to Inari's mind as he remembered the picture of his dad upstairs.

Tears flowed freely down his face.

"But…why?" he muttered, everyone glanced up at him. Inari slammed his hands down on the table and yelled out.

"All this training is a waste of time. Gato's got a whole army. They'll beat you down and destroy you. These cool things you all say, they don't mean anything. No matter what you say, they strong always win and the weak always lose…" Inari was cut off by a soft chuckle. Instantly, Sakura turned towards Sasuke, but he wasn't making a peep.

It was Naruto who was chuckling and getting louder all the while.

"Well, it's a good thing we're stronger then, isn't it." he spoke.

"You're lying, there's no way you could beat an army, your just gonna get yourself killed!" Inari yelled out. "You don't know what this country's been through, you always make jokes and laugh but you have no idea of the suffering we've endured."

"Enough!" Naruto yelled, Inari's tears suddenly stopped. "Don't know what you've suffered? I know more about it than you ever will! If your so tired of being pushed around all the time and weak, work to make yourself stronger!"

Inari just stood there, silent tears flowing back down his face.

Naruto rose from the table and put his hands in his pockets.

"What a coward…" he muttered before he left. Everyone in the room heard this and were too shocked to say anything.

* * *

Naruto just stood at his window, looking out at the unfinished bridge in the distance. Down below, he heard a door slide open and Kakashi's voice ring into the night air.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked the small figure that was Inari curled up in a just let out a sigh and turned his back on the view, resting his elbows on the window frame still.

There was a knock at his door.

"Come in." he called out.

A depressed looking Sakura opened the door.

"Oh, hey Sakura-chan, what's up?" Naruto asked as she stepped into the room.

"Hi…Naruto." She started slowly. "I uh… I just wanted to apologize for earlier, when I tried to hit you…"

"It's ok, it's no big deal Sakura." Naruto smiled as he heard Kakashi's words drift up from below.

"…he didn't know either of his parents, and he didn't have a single friend in the village."

Sakura also heard these words and looked at Naruto with a little sympathy in her eyes. Naruto pretended not to hear and carried on their conversation.

"Is that all Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"Is it true though?"

"Is what true?" Naruto replied, pretending he didn't know what he was talking about.

"That you never know your parents…" she drifted off.

Naruto just let out another long sigh before replying.

"Yea but I don't feel bad for it. I can't miss it if never even knew about it." he replied, his happy mask still in place if only just.

Kakashi's words came back through the open window.

"…he wants to be respected, that's his dream, and he'll but his life on the line for that in a heartbeat…"

Another pang of guilt hit Sakura's heart and another crack in Naruto's mask appeared.

"Naruto…" she whispered as he closed his eyes, wishing the tears away.

Before he knew it Sakura enveloped him in a hug.

He felt confused at first but lent his head on her shoulder as Naruto whimpered into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…Naruto…For everything…"

* * *

A/N: Wow, that's a long chappy, longer than all my other chapters put together. Took me the best part of 2 days to write this thing. Having the TV on at the same time doesn't help either but Mock the Week called for me. Anywayz tell me what you think about this chappy, im dying for more reviews here, lets see how many I can get before I post the next chapter, and its gonna be a good one. Naruto unleashes his new power for you all to see. I was purposely vague in the description around his new training coz I wanted to save it for next chapter :D Keep voting, winning pairing will be released sometime in next 2 chapters, if it is a harem, a new poll will be put up.

That is all my faithful readers.

Ja Ne people!


	5. Chapter 5

**The New Naruto**

Woo. Another successful chapter, lots of you reviewed, thanks!

As the votes stand now:

Naruto x Harem: 27

Naruto x Haku: 9

Naruto x Sakura: 4

Naruto x Tsunade: 4

Naruto x Hinata: 4

Naruto x Tenten: 3

Naruto x Kurenai: 2

Naruto x Temari: 2

Naruto x Ino: 1

Naruto x Shizune: 1

Naruto x Anko: 1

Naruto x Shion: 1

Naruto x Isaribi: 1

Naruto x Anko: 0 Awwww

Only a one chapters left to vote, seems as though it might be a harem. Everyone will get 2 choices in the next poll if this rings true so think hard about the way you want this to go, it will also be blind until I decide otherwise so as not to influence the score :D.

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

**"Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 5 – Zabuza returns **

It was a bright sunny morning in wave country. The sun was shining and today looked like a good day to get that little bit closer to finishing the bridge.

"Take care of Naruto for us!" Sakura waved back to Tsunami and Squad 7 and Tazuna head towards the bridge while Naruto was still catching some Z's.

As they walked, Sakura thought back to the night before, the things she heard drifting through Naruto's window then holding Naruto while he let out his sadness.

Sakura let out a small sigh as she remembered holding him close while he "cried". Naruto hadn't let out a single tear but he was as close to crying as Sakura had ever seen him.

* * *

Cries and yells were heard as one by one, the men fell to Zabuza's blade skills. Not dead, just unconscious. After all, Gato did have to have people to extort after this.

* * *

A small brown bird landed on Naruto's window and chirped its morning song.

Naruto stirred at the noise before opening his eyes slowly.

'Wow, I feel drained' he thought.

"**Yea, releasing your emotions will do that to ya.**" The fox stirred in his mind.

Naruto just grunted and rolled over…

"GAH!" he yelled out, startling himself as well as the fox.

"**What's going on wha...?**" The fox jumped to his feet. Unfortunately his cage was not built for him to jump in as he bashed his head on the ceiling letting out a roar of pain.

"I'm late! I can't believe they forgot to wake me up!" Naruto shouted as he scrambled to get his new outfit on.

"Calm down Naruto." Came the motherly voice of Tsunami as he passed her and Inari in the lounge. "Your sensei told us to let you rest."

Naurto just hurried and put his sandals on.

"Rest? I'm fine, just need to wake up more is all!" Naruto slapped his face a few times before heading off through the door. "See ya!"

He took off like a rocket into the trees, hoping he could catch up to the team before they reached the bridge.

A weird noise came from below.

"Awww man! Prefect timing (!)" Naruto yelled sarcastically and hopped down to the ground.

* * *

Team 7 and Tazuna had reached the end of the bridge only to find all the workers out cold or groaning in pain.

Tazuna quickly hurried over to one of his workers, propping his head up.

"What happened here?" he asked the man sternly with worry heavy in his voice.

"I…it was a monster!" The man croaked out before falling into unconsciousness.

A thick mist descended around the bridge.

'Hidden mist jutsu.' They all thought as small sounds they made became amplified in the silence it brought.

Sasuke was shaking. Sakura couldn't see his face but she redoubled her efforts, trying to sense Zabuza or any attack he threw in the mist.

"Long time no see, Kakashi." Zabuza's voice rang out through the mist. "I see your still with those brats, and look, ones ready to wet himself."

A sinister chuckle was heard moments before several Zabuza clones surrounded the group.

"I'm shaking from…excitement." Sasuke smirked.

"Do it Sasuke!" Kakashi ordered. In a flash of movement, all of the Zabuza clones were reduced to water.

"Seems like the brat learned something. Too bad he still can't keep up with Haku." Zabuza laughed as the hunter nin from before stepped up behind Zabuza, blocking the escape route back down the bridge.

"Seems like I was right, he is working with Zabuza." Kakashi said.

"Take off your mask you phoney and show us what you really look like!" Sakura yelled as the hunter nin just remain motionless.

"I'll take him." Sasuke said confidently taking a step forward. "He tricked us and now he's gonna pay for it.

Sakura stayed quiet and edged towards Tazuna, making her role clear to the other three.

"Hmmm, Impressive, water clones are only 1/10th the strength of the original and he bested them all." Haku stated.

Zabuza chuckled,

"But we have the 1st advantage. Go!"

Haku just disappeared in a flash.

"What?!" Sasuke said as he readied himself for an attack.

Clang! The sound of metal on metal was heard as Haku and Sasuke clashed blades, kunai vs. senbon.

* * *

Crash! The door and frame caved in as multiple slashes destroyed them.

"Are you Tazuna's daughter?" One of the two men asked, sheathing his sword. Tsunami could only look at them with shock on her face.

Inari heard the crash from downstairs and hurried to investigate.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen he saw the table upturned and his mum backing away from the two thugs.

"Mom!" he shouted out as the thugs turned to face him.

"Run Inari! Get away from here!" She yelled out at him as he stood frozen in fear.

"Should we take him too?" The thug with the eye patch asked the other.

"We only need one hostage." The shorter one with marks like tears from his eyes replied, cruelly.

"Should I kill him then?" Eye patch asked, drawing his blade.

"Wait!" Tsunami shouted. "If you kill that child…, I will bite off my tongue and kill myself!" The two were slightly stunned at her threat.

"You want a hostage, right?"

"Hehe…Thank your mom, kid." The shorter one mocked.

"Damn, I was hoping to slice something to pieces." Eye patch laughed.

The two thugs then grabbed Tsunami and hoisted her to her feet. Inari dropped to the ground and hugged his knees.

'Mom…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I'm a weak kid so I can't protect you. I don't want to die but I'm afraid…'

"What a coward…" Naruto's voice drifted back to Inari as he remembered all the things the others had told him. Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunami and Kaiza, his dad.

'Will I…Will I also be able to become strong…dad?!"

* * *

"Hehe…Looking at that pretty skin makes me want to cut it." Eye patch smirked as him and tears had completed their mission.

"Wait!" A voice behind them called out.

"Inari?!" Tsunami shouted.

"It's that kid again."

"Ge…Get away from my mom!" he yelled, charging at them with all his might.

"Cut him."

"Sure." The two henchmen muttered together.

"Inari!" Tsunami called out, wishing with all he might that he would turn and leave her.

Two swords were joined and slashed through the air at Inari.

Clunk! Three pieces of wood hit the ground.

'What?!' The thugs thought as they heard a triumphant voice behind them.

"Sorry for being late Inari." Naruto smiled at the boy, lowering him down to the ground. "But the hero always arrives at the last second!"

'Replacement jutsu!' The thugs turned to face Naruto, dressed in his new outfit that gave only amplified the dark look he was giving them.

"You tried to kill my friend…you'll pay for that." He yelled out, raining shuriken upon them.

Backing up, the two struggled to block all the shuriken, some catching them in the knee, others slicing skin and one made it's way between his legs, firmly planted there.

Eye patch went down with a high pitched squeal as his partner looked on helplessly.

A kunai dug into his arm, causing him to drop his sword. Naruto rushed up to him and kicked it away before wheeling round on his other foot and round housed the guy in the face, knocking him into the water out cold.

Naruto walked up to eye patch, who was still clutching his extremities.

He grabbed him by the collar and lifted him to his height, (which wasn't that much).

"Where's Gato?!" He yelled in the guy's face.

"Hehe…your too late kid…by the time you reach the bridge…all your friends will be dead!"

This earned him a swift punch to the face.

"Shut up and tell me what I want to know!" Naruto throttled him again.

"Urg… probably on his way to the bridge to finish off Zabuza and his annoying brat!" he smirked.

Naruto was at a loss. Why would an employer kill one of his men?

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, now calmer trying to make sense of the situation.

"The demon's brat nearly broke his arm, he…urh… Gato's not gonna stand for…" Eye patch finally passed out from the pain.

Tsunami and Inari were locked in a fierce hug.

"Don't ever do something like that again!" Tsunami cried, holding onto Inari as tightly as she could.

"I'm sorry mom…I just didn't want you to get hurt…" Inari chocked out over his own sobs.

"You two better get inside," Naruto called out, using a clone to drag the thug from the water back to the small dock and tie both up.

"Naruto…Why did you come back? How did you know that…?" Inari started before Naruto interrupted.

"Using my awesome ninja skills I managed to find these guys tracks even while jumping through the trees. I thought they were suspicious due to the slash marks on the trees and everything so I came to check you were safe." Naruto gave them his signature foxy grin. "Besides, I made it just in time to see how strong and brave you've gotten." He laughed, patting Inari on the head.

Inari just looked dumbstruck and looked down, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Th…Thanks Naruto!" he yelled out as Naruto covered his ears.

"Ah Inari, I need these things! You trying to make me deaf or summin?!"

Naruto yelled back.

The two just smirked at each other and laughed.

Naurto glanced back over to the thugs.

"Damn, I completely forgot the bridge!" He shouted running off towards it. "Take care of things here Inari!" he yelled back as Inari just waved him off.

"You can count on me Naruto!"

* * *

"I don't want to have to kill you…but you won't stand down will you?" Haku asked as her and Sasuke continued their blade battle, each trying to outmatch the other in strength.

"To a loser like you? Forget it!" he smirked.

Haku just sighed.

"Very well, I'll have to take you down then." He said calmly.

Haku began forming one handed seals as Kakashi looked on in shock.

'One handed seals?! That's impossible!' he thought

"Hidden Jutsu: Thousand Needles of Death!" Haku finished.

The water around Sasuke and Haku rose before hardening into one thousand ice senbon needles.

"What the…?! Sasuke started as Haku released his stance and jumped back, out of the way of the incoming needles.

'Focus my chakra….to the legs…'

Crash! The tinkle of ice was heard on a massive scale as each senbon crashed into the ground and each other.

'He's gone!' Haku thought quickly before a single shuriken landed in front of him.

Jumping back, several more landed each time he landed.

"Too slow!" A voice hissed from behind him.

Wheeling around, Haku saw Sasuke's kunai aim right for his throat.

Reacting fast, Haku brought her arm up to block the blow before realising the true intent of the attack and ducking as the kunai cut through the air his head was a second ago.

A swift kick sent Haku rolling back to Zabuza as Sasuke ended his attack perfectly.

"Look's like I'm faster." Sasuke smirked, standing upright.

"You shouldn't underestimate my team, Zabuza." Kakashi called out. "Sasuke is the Hidden Leaf's 1 rookie. Sakura is the bright one. As for Naruto? He's the 1 unpredictable ninja in the village."

Both Sakura and Sasuke felt proud their teacher recognised their abilities.

Dark chuckling could be heard coming from Zabuza before it turned into full on laughing.

"It seems we've underestimated them, Haku. At this rate, we won't finish till noon."

"We can't have that…" Haku replied, rising to his feat and putting both hands in a seal Kakashi hadn't seen before.

Water rose around Sasuke again but this time became thicker and taller, almost like…

"Hidden Jutsu: Demonic Ice Mirrors!" Haku then calmly walked into the closest mirror before appearing on all 21.

Kakashi realised too late his student was trapped.

"Damn it!" he charged before Zabuza appeared infront of him.

"Your opponent is me!" he said, blocking his path.

"Arh!" Sasuke's yell erupted from the ice mirrors prison as a hail of senbon ravaged his body.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi yelled out.

"Try to pass me and I'll kill these two." Zabuza nodded in Sakura and Tazuna's direction.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out as the Senbon still tore at his body.

"I'm sorry Mr. Tazuna…I'm going to leave you for a second." she told him quietly while he just grunted in response.

Sakura pulled a kunai from her pouch and jumped to where she had a clear shot of her team mate.

"Sasuke! Catch!" she called out as she hurled the kunai between the ice.

It stopped in midair as Haku leant out of his ice mirror to catch it.

Haku just glanced at the kunai and looked directly at Sakura.

Haku pulled his wrist back to flick the kunai when a fist connected with his cheek.

This knocked Haku clean out of the mirror as Naruto landed with a happy look on his face.

"Naruto!" Sakura squealed with joy, back in front of Tazuna.

"Urg…it's you!" Haku stammered, returning to his feet staring Naruto down with a large crack appearing on his mask.

"You! You! You…wouldn't be willing to quit while we're ahead, would you?" Naruto asked, grinning with one arm back behind his head.

"Naruto! Like that's going to…" Sakura began.

It was at this time that the group discovered Naruto's new look.

Kakashi actually raised an eyebrow. No one had ever seen Naruto in anything but orange, unless you caught him in his nightwear.

"Like my new look Kakashi-sensei? I think it makes me look like a proper ninja." Naruto called out, not taking his eyes of Haku for a second.

"Now's not the time Naruto, we have a mission to complete." KAkashi shouted back in his usual droll voice now Sasuke had been saved.

"Your so mean Kakashi-sensei. Hey Sakura! What do you think?" Flexing his bicep.

Sakura was speechless and just looked away, blushing lightly.

'This boy…he really does live up to his title.' Haku thought. If you removed his mask you would see a blush all over his face.

'Too bad he must be removed!' Haku disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto.

'Damn!' he thought loudly as he was kicked in the gut, sending him into the ice mirror ring, landing on top of Sasuke's body.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled as Haku once again melted into the ice mirrors.

"Urh…get off me…" murmured a tired Sasuke, giving Naruto a shove off his leg.

"Sasuke, are you ok?" Naruto asked, jumping up lifting Sasuke to his feet.

"I'm fine…nothing I can…urg, can't handle." he panted, removing several senbon from joint areas.

"Did you figure out how to beat him yet?" Naruto asked, watching as the mirrors were filled with clones of Haku.

"If I did would I still be in here?!" Sasuke yelled.

'He's right though. If we can't figure out a way out of these ice mirrors then we're finished!' he thought. 'Wait…ice mirrors.'

"Naruto, cover me!" Sasuke ordered as Naruto instantly formed 8 clones of himself, surrounding both him and Sasuke.

Sasuke punched through the one blocking his vision.

"What was that for Sasuke?!" Naruto yelled as the clones short memories returned to him.

Sasuke shrugged off Naruto's yells as he performed the hand signs for,

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he yelled out and blew a huge ball of fire at one of the mirrors, engulfing it in flames.

"Whoa." All the Naruto muttered, as they stood there stunned.

Sasuke let up on the fireball to reveal the ice mirror still intact, only the outer frost had been melted, leaving the rest clear and flat.

"Such a low level jutsu can't possibly destroy these mirrors." Haku stated, emotionless before restarting his technique, raining senbon down on both the boys destroying all of Naruto's clones.

"That's it!" Naruto shouted his slitted eyes piercing through the slight mist, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Over 30 Naruto poofed into existence and jumped at the mirrors. Some on their own, others double teamed.

All were useless.

Another barrage of senbon quickly saw them off while the real Naruto and Sasuke stuck back to back in the centre.

"Trying to follow or catch me is impossible. You should just give up." Haku said, "This jutsu use's the mirror's reflection to transport me. From my point of view, your moving in slow-motion."

"A bloodline!" Kakashi murmured before raising his headband. "I'll just need to even the playing field."

"The sharingan again? Don't you have any other tricks, Kakashi?"

Zabuza chuckled.

"Bloodline or not, I still have to fulfil my dream and become Hokage!" Naruto shouted triumphantly.

"…dreams…" Haku muttered before thinking back to the first meeting with Zabuza.

"**Give it a rest, everyone knows about your dream.**" a voice in Naruto's head stirred.

'Kyuubi? Why the hell are you just waking up now?!' Naruto shouted in his mind.

"**Ah, do you have to be so loud? I'm up because it's the middle of a battle and all that's on your stomach's mind is food.**"

'Yea, well it's still the middle of a battle so either help out or keep quiet!'

* * *

Zabuza leapt at Kakashi, blade raised while Kakashi's sharingan helped him dodge and strike Zabuza in the chest.

"That's some right hook Kakashi…" Zabuza croaked out, almost winded.

Sakura tightened the grip on her kunai as the two jōnin began their battle.

"Even if you best me, you won't best Haku. Even your great sharingan can't copy his jutsu and you'll fall just like your brats will!" Zabuza swung his leg round into a kick. Kakashi blocked, pushing him back a few feet.

"I've taught him everything I know." he kicked again, Kakashi jumping up as Zabuza unsheathed his sword, bringing it down overhead to slice Kakashi in two.

Water hit the ground as Kakashi reappeared behind Zabuza.

* * *

"Just try not to get hit. He'll run out of chakra eventually." Sasuke ordered, raising his kunai with Naruto mimicking.

Another volley of senbon flew towards the two as they did.

They ducked, dodged, and blocked as many senbon as they could while others found unprotected points and struck hard.

Naruto was running on pure instinct and reflexes. Even with his new eyes, he couldn't keep up with Haku's speed.

Sasuke, however, kept catching glimpses of the masked ninja, trying to learn the attack pattern.

"I'm sorry…It's time to finish this." Haku voice drifted from one of the many mirrors.

'Come on Sasuke, you can do this. Concentrate…now!' Sasuke urged himself to move and yanked Naruto out of the flight path of several senbon.

"Thanks Sasuke, I thought I was a goner there." He grinned.

"No problem…" Sasuke turned to look at Naruto an incomplete sharingan whirling in his eyes, "…Dobe."

'He has a sharingan too?!' Naruto half asked himself as it was obvious he did.

"Stand back Naruto. I'll finish him off." Sasuke smirked as he stepped foreward back into the centre of the mirrors.

"I don't have time to play with you anymore, my chakra is at its limit." Haku stated. "Like I said before: "It's time to finish this.""

Haku then shot up, into the top most mirror blocking access or exit from the sky hurling senbon down.

Sasuke was faster, he blocked many senbon but all he could do was defend.

Haku had him pinned down.

"My turn." Naruto shouted forming hand signs, "Keep him distracted Sasuke, I'll get us out of here. Hidden Jutsu: Foxes Claw!"

A large amount of chakra gathered at Naruto's right palm before extending along the back of his hands, along his fingers and beyond, the chakra became visible as blood red claws extending from Naruto's wrist.

Naruto smirked and charged at the ice mirror leading to where Kakashi and Zabuza's battle was taking place.

Kakashi and Zabuza both felt the raw power from this technique as diagonal cuts appeared in an ice mirror before each layer sliding away as Naruto burst through.

'No way! That's impossible.' both Haku and Zabuza thought.

"Sasuke, this way!" Naruto called out.

Haku's moment of hesitation was all Sasuke needed to escape and followed Naruto out of the opening he created.

Naruto, claw still shining bright red, ran around the mirrors, giving a powerful slash to each one before they cracked and smashed on the ground.

Haku was dodging but running out of places to hide, the entire bottom layer of mirrors was gone and the top were being taken out too.

Naruto smashed his 20th mirror before jumpin straight up over the last one which acted as the "ceiling" for the most part of their battle.

'This is it…' Haku thought as he braced himself to be impaled through the crest with that menacing claw.

Smash!

The soft tinkling of ice on concrete was heard as Naruto released his technique and had punched clean through the final mirror, causing his fist to drive Haku into the ground.

Panting heavily, Naruto stood up, over his opponent and called out to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, help Kakshi-sensei. I've got this one."

Sasuke complied but was cursing himself on the inside for not being able to copy that jutsu.

'Damnit! I missed my chance. I know my sharingan can copy jutsu but why couldn't I take the dobe's most powerful?' He thought as he ran over to aid Kakashi while Sakura was cheering for both her team mates.

* * *

Naruto knelt down and took out some wire from his back pocket, restraining Haku's hands and feet, making note to tie the fingers up as well as the wrists.

"Go ahead…" A soft voice came from below him.

"Huh?" was all he replied.

"Finish me off, I am of no use anymore, my life's purpose is at an end…,"

Haku told Naruto as his mask cracked completely, shattering beneath him.

"No!" he stated, not having seen who Haku really was, "You also have someone precious you want to protect."

Haku gasped, did he really know who he was all along.

"That day in the forest…You told me that when you fight to protect someone you become truly strong…"

Haku shifted his body weight to turn and face Naruto who had a hard look on his face.

"Me and you both fight to protect people precious to us and I won't take you from them or let them be taken from you." He stated, his hard looks changing into kinder, smoother ones as he looked deep into his eyes.

"I promise."

Haku blushed at this but it quickly left as Naruto lifted him to his feet and held a kunai to Haku's neck.

"Zabuza!" he called out. The mist nin turned after blocking an attack from Kakashi to see Haku hostage mere inches from death. One slip of a kunai and his life was gone.

"Either listen to my offer or your partner dies!" Naruto shouted again.

Zabuza looked fiercely at Naruto, the bloodlust was pouring from him and all was directed at Naruto.

Sasuke could feel it radiating off him and backed off, standing just between and to the right of Zabuza and Naruto, to intercept any counter attack.

"Like you have the guts kid!" Zabuza shouted back.

'Kyuubi? Do you mind?' Naruto thought.

"**Finally, play time!**" The kyuubi shrieked with happieness as it's bloodlust flowed through Naruto at Zabuza.

'This bloodlust…I've never felt anything so pure…so evil!' Zabuza thought as he withdrew his bloodlust.

"Speak, kid."

"Do you want to die?" Naruto asked simply.

Zabuza scoffed at the ridiculous question.

"Of course not. That's why I have to take the bridge builder out!" he yelled back.

"You have two options Zabuza. One, you lay down your weapon and we will take you into custody. Or two, you continue to fight and not only will you die but Haku here will die in the best case scenario for you. Even if you kill all of us." Naruto said.

"What do you mean brat?" Zabuza shouted confused. Even if he killed all of them, both he and Haku would die?

"Gato and his army of thugs are on there way here to kill you as soon as you finish your job!"

"Hehe, your bluffing, Gato wouldn't do something as stupid as that." Zabuza chuckled.

"Would he?" Naruto asked and looked toward the end of the bridge where several hundred thugs had gathered with the greedy little business man in front of the mob, hands resting on his cane with his left heavily bandaged.

"That yellow haired brat got it right Zabuza you worthless ninja kuso." Gato smirked. "I had no intention of paying you, infact I was going to hand you over to the mist ninja, I'm sure they would have been happy to see you. As for your little friend, I'm sure the boys could have thought up a suitable punishment for him."

Zabuza was furious at this, after today, if he lived, he would have to go on the run again if he wanted to be free.

"Since we are no longer enemies, I would be honoured to fight by your side Haku, to protect those precious to us." Naruto murmured in his ear, holding the kunai to the knot keeping the hand bindings in place.

"You would let us go free after we are finished?" Haku asked another slight blush appearing from the proximity of Naruto's lips to her ear.

"Hai." Naruto replied.

"Very well…" Snap! The knot in the arm and leg bindings were cut in an instant as Haku stood beside Naruto in the middle of the bridge, daring the thugs to attack them.

Both Zabuza and Kakashi were both surprised at this action.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto yelled out as the two man line he and Haku had formed become a 100 man line; 99 Naruto, 1 Haku.

The thugs looked a bit shaky as Gato took a step back.

"One condition…" Haku spoke.

"Name it." Naruto replied.

"Gato's mine!"

"Naruto! don't do anything ras…" Kakashi didn't speak fast enough.

A cry of "Charge" was heard as the Naruto army charged at the thugs. Gato retreated into the crowd and made his way back as Naruto after Naruto were hot on his heals.

Zabuza looked at Kakashi as he face palmed muttering something about hyperactive blondes.

"Kakashi, the kid's got the right idea." he nodded his head towards the now small riot. "You wanna join in?"

"I think I'll sit this one out." Kakashi eye smiled, covering his sharingan back over.

Zabuza hoisted his sword back over his shoulder.

"Suit yourself," and rushed into the battle, jumping over several Naruto battles before taking on several thugs at once.

"Kakashi-sensei, will Naruto be okay? He's fighting with the enemy against all those thugs." Sakura asked, regaining her role in the battle.

"Knowing Naruto? Everything will go someway we won't expect." Kakashi replied.

* * *

Gato had now emerged from the crowd and hit the end of the bridge, his boat was just down below. If he could just make it…

"Stop right there!" A voice called behind him.

Knowing the voice, he turned round to face the very unhappy blonde.

"You should know better than to piss off a woman." he said before a green and orange blur shot up from the crowd.

A harsh look was pasted over Haku's face as several senbon found their way into Gato's arms, legs and feet, rendering him motionless.

Haku landed in front of Naruto as a quick flash of metal passed in front of Gato's face before his head separated from his body, tumbling into the water below.

Haku remained in the same finishing position for several moments before crumbling to her knees, sobbing.

Naruto spawned some shadow clones to keep guard as he kicked Gato's body off the edge of the bridge as well and sat down beside Haku, taking her head into his shoulder and holding her tight, the same way Sakura did to him not twenty four hours ago.

* * *

All the remaining thugs had been taken out by Naruto's last few clones and Zabuza, who got the last knockout and last kill before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Zabuza looked around for Haku and saw "him" nestled into Naruto's chest with a large bloody stain at the edge of the bridge.

"First kill…" He muttered before sitting down on a side of the bridge.

Kakashi decided to find out what was going on between the three of them. Instead of risking his neck with an angry Zabuza, he sent a shadow clone to investigate.

It made it's way up to Zabuza before speaking,

"All right Zabuza, you have no more employer and no more reason to fight us. Are you going to come quietly?"

Zabuza looked up.

"That's not going to happen."

The voice wasn't Zabuza's cold harsh one but one of Naruto's shadow clones.

"In exchange for Haku's help, I promised her that they would go free. I never go back on my word Kakashi-sensei. Even if I have to fight you to make it happen."

Both Zabuza and Kakashi's eyes widened at this piece of information.

"Naruto, you know the rules about missing ninja." Kakashi reprimanded before Naruto cut in again.

"But they aren't bad ninja. Sure they fought against us but that was so they could survive. Being constantly on the run from real tracker ninjas would make anyone bargain for a way out." Naruto explained.

"I maybe be the "Demon hidden in the Mist" Kakashi but I am not heartless. I know when something is done for the right and wrong reasons. You student here talked some sense into me the only way I would listen before Gato showed up. Good thing he did too. Else me and Haku might be sleeping with the fishes."

"Fine, do as you wish, but know that sooner or later, they will catch up to you, and they won't be as kind as us Konoha ninja." Kakashi said before exploding in a puff of smoke.

Zabuza, Haku and Naruto just remained silent for a while as Haku let out a small sob every now and then.

"Geez, I didn't cry at all when I made my first kill. What are you? A woman or something Haku?" Zabuza called out in a half mocking, half playful tone.

"Zabuza, you know that's true." Naruto retorted for Haku.

"Eh?"

"Haku's a woman, you know that." Naruto laughed back before he went deathly silent. "Don't you?"

Haku had been very scrawny as a child after her parent's deaths from looking for food in bins and barely getting enough sustenance. When Zabuza had found her, her voice hurt so much from thirst she sounded more like a guy. Zabuza had assumed this was her normal voice and accepted the fact that she sounded a little like a girl afterward.

As Haku stayed with Zabuza, she noticed he treated her like a guy. Hell, he'd even given her the male birds and the bees talk. That was weird. Haku didn't want to insult Zabuza by telling him he'd been wrong all this time so she'd taken to holding back her chest with bandages. As for the other female stuff, you don't wanna go there.

All this suddenly dawned on Zabuza as he sat there. Totally unsure of the world around him now.

The awkward silence hung in the air before Naruto noticed a light snoring on his chest. Haku had fallen asleep.

"He…She seems to feel quite safe with you boy." Zabuza chuckled, accepting the "new" Haku faster than Naruto thought he would.

"Appears so…What will you two do now?" He asked, lifting Haku and laying her down next to Zabuza.

"First we're going to collect our pay for killing Gato by raiding his hideout. Then continue running I guess…" he replied, a little downhearted at the last part.

"Well if your ever near the leaf village, look me up. I'll gladly spar with you next time, Haku too." He smiled before taking off down the bridge as villagers began coming to clear up the mess.

Zabuza picked Haku's sleeping form up and looked back at Naruto.

"We just might take you up on that offer kid…" he muttered before jumping away as the villagers reached the unconscious thugs.

* * *

A/N: Damn that took a while. Sorry for Naruto not using his jutsu right away. Had to give Sasuke his sharingan else he would moan for the rest of the fic.

Sasuke: "No I wouldn't."

Yea you would, now shush. Anyway, I hope this chapter appeals to your liking, I racked my brain for ages trying to figure out how to end this one without the pair dying.

Anyway, Anyone who reviews will be sent a free cookie!* So keep reviewing and voting. The votes will end by the time I publish the next chapter so you have till around…Tuesday at the latest.

Ja ne peoplez.

*Warning: Cookies may take 6-8 weeks to arrive, stale cookies are not my problem.


	6. Chapter 6

**The New Naruto**

Votes are in and it's a harem. Wow, big surprise. :P

As the votes stand as we finish:

Naruto x Harem: 39

Naruto x Haku: 16

Naruto x Hinata: 6

Naruto x Sakura: 6

Naruto x Tenten: 4

Naruto x Tsunade: 4

Naruto x Ino: 3

Naruto x Kurenai: 2

Naruto x Temari: 2

Naruto x Shion: 2

Naruto x Tayuya: 2

Naruto x Shizune: 1

Naruto x Anko: 1

Naruto x Isaribi: 1

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 6 – Return to Konoha **

Time passed quickly over the next week for team 7.

Workers returned to the bridge and on Naruto's day's to guard Tazuna from anymore threats, his shadow clones made excellent workers.

All three genin could run from the bottom of the tree to the top and down again without faltering.

After a week of training and guarding, the bridge was finally finished and team 7 were leaving, their mission complete. Half the town including Tsunami, Tazuna and Inari had turned up to see the ninja off.

"Thanks to you guys we managed to complete the bridge." Tazuna announced.

"I think it was the right thing to do." said Naruto as he grinned back to the crowd.

"It is our duty as ninja to assist those in need." Kakashi stated. "Don't worry about paying us now…we'll send you a bill." He eye smiled.

Tazuna chuckled,

"It's not gonna be the same around here without you guys."

"Promise you'll come back and visit?" Inari asked.

"Only if you promise to keep getting stronger ya little squirt." Naruto held out his fist.

"Promise!" Inari grinned and bumped fists with him.

"Well, we'd best be off. Team 7, move…" Kakashi started when a voice shouted from the back of the crowd.

"Wait!" People turned and parted as an old man hurried as fast as he could through the crowd, a brown package tied with string clutched in one hand.

"It's you, the guy from the clothes shop." Naruto was surprised, he knew the man had done as he'd asked and spent the money helping everyone who needed it.

The man ran slowed down and walked up to Naruto.

"Here," He presented Naruto with the package. "A little thank you from the people here at wave. It's not much but we are thankful for your assistance."

"Thanks old man." Naruto smiled and put it in his pack.

The old man stepped back into the crowd as Kakashi tried once again to leave the country.

"Team 7, lets go."

"Bye everyone, we'll come back soon." Sakrura waved back to the people, Sasuke was as silent as ever as they crossed the finished bridge.

"Oh yea, we haven't named the bridge yet." A villager thought out loud.

"I have the perfect name for the bridge…" Tazuna began, grinned at the sight of the saviour of wave country, "The Great Naruto Bridge."

* * *

Two dark figures watched from afar as Team 7 made their way across the bridge.

"That boy has much potential, don't you think, Haku?"

"Yes, he knows true strength and he'll only get stronger, Zabuza."

Team 7 reached the end of the bridge and disappeared amongst the trees.

"We better be going, Haku, ladies first." Zabuza chuckled.

"Don't make fun Zabuza, this "lady" can still take you down if you get too cocky." Haku replied, a dark look in her eye.

"I know I know." Zabuza leaped back into the forest.

Haku took one last look at the end of the bridge where team 7 disappeared.

"Till next time…Naruto."

* * *

Naruto sneezed.

"Someone must be thinking of you Naruto." Kakashi eye smiled.

"Hehe, well I am the hero of wave, obviously someone is thinking of me. I wonder if she's pretty…" Naruto pondered.

"Don't get ahead of yourself dobe. We all helped. Besides, what girl would want you." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto gave Sasuke a cold look.

"Sasuke cut it out."

Naruto turned to see Sakura as the source of the scolding.

All three boys looked surprised.

"If it wasn't for Naruto's new jutsu you might not have made it out of those mirrors."

Sasuke just looked at Saukra as though she was crazy before he returned to brooding.

"Th…thanks Sakura…" Naruto stuttered. Sakura just gave him a kind smile before they turned and walked on.

"Well that was…weird…" Kakashi stated before following his students.

* * *

It was nearly noon and the group had just past the battle site of their first fight with Zabuza when they decided to take a break.

"So Naruto, What did that old man give you?" Sakura asked, taking a bite out of one of her rice balls.

"Hmm? Oh yea." Naruto remembered, taking the brown package out of his pack and pulled the strings till the packaging fell away.

Inside there was 5 more of his new outfits, minus the sandals, and a small envelope.

Sakura took this opportunity to check Naruto's new look out. Another small blush forming on her face.

Naruto smiled, picked up and opened the envelope.

Inside was a letter from the shopkeeper and a picture of what looked like wave country in it's prime. He began reading the letter.

"Dear Naruto, once again, we can't thank you enough for the help you have given wave. As a thanks for all your hard work, here is a small token of my gratitude. The picture was taken 2 months before Gato arrived when wave still had business. Hopefully, with the completion of the bridge, you will have helped wave return to it's former glory. Yours, Koromo."

Naruto smiled at the letter and passed it to Sakura as he admired the picture.

"Hmph, still be a dobe to me whatever you wear." Sasuke muttered, finishing his own lunch and pulling his pack back on.

"Finish up Naruto, we still have half a days walk left." Kakashi's droll voice came from above them.

The group packed up and begun the final stretch home.

* * *

The gates appeared on the horizon as they drew closer to Konoha.

"Finally, home!" Naruto punped his fist in the air and ran ahead. "Race you back!" he called out before the dust he kicked up consumed his form.

'That Naruto, always full of energy.' Kakashi thought as they walked on.

"Naruto Uzumaki, reporting back from a mission!" Naruto shouted at the sleeping chūnin.

"Ahhh! Whoa!" He promptly fell off his chair.

"You alright man?" Naruto looked over counter.

A demonic aura began coming from the chūnin.

"Naruto! Can't you tell I was sleeping!" He yelled back at Naruto.

Naruto just flashed his foxy grin and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry Kotetsu, but still, you shouldn't be sleeping on the job in the first place."

"What happened! I heard shouting!" Another chūnin ran up to the guard hut.

"Hey, Izumo! I just caught Kotetsu sleeping on the job is all." Naruto grinned.

"I wasn't sleeping I was resting my eyes." Kotetsu defended.

"Yea right. You admitted it a minute ago."

"Where's your team anyway Naruto?" Izumo asked.

"Oh, they're behind me, I just wanted to grab some ramen before we have to see the old man."

Izumo and Kotetsu chuckled,

"Go ahead Naruto, we'll tell you team where you are."

"Thanks guys!" With that, Naruto ran off again towards his favourite eatery.

* * *

"One bowl of miso ramen please." A large boy called out.

"and one beef for me." a bored voice asked as they sat down at Ichiraku's, laying down a few notes.

"Coming right up." the cheerful Ayame responded as she and her dad began cooking.

"You haven't seen Naruto have you?" Teuchi asked whilst stiring the noodles.

"No, he's still out on his C rank mission." the bored boy replied, leaning on his arm.

"He's been gone awhile, I'm starting to lose profit since he's left." Teuchi chuckled.

A loud voice shouted from behind them.

"Did ya really miss me that much old man?"

"Naruto! Good to see ya back." Teuchi smiled as Naruto plopped onto a stool next to the bored Nara boy.

"Hey Shikamaru, hey Chōji. How've you guys been?" Naruto asked taking out his wallet. "One miso ramen ple…" Naruto cut himself off.

He'd forgotten he donated all his money to help the people of wave.

Teuchi saw his empty froggy.

"Don't worry Naruto, this one's on the house for the success of your first C rank mission."

"Actually, it was more like a B rank or A rank." Naruto grinned back, hoping to get more ramen out of it."

"Why? What happened Naruto?" Chōji asked.

"Well our client needed protection from an evil gangster called Gato. He'd hired a missing ninja by the name of Zabuza Momochi, who had this massive sword."

Shikamaru's eyes widened at this piece of information.

"One of the seven swordsman of the mist?!" He asked, shocked.

"Yea, he even knew that erm…Hidden Mist Jutsu."

Naruto began retelling his adventure, telling them that Zabuza escaped instead while they ate their ramen.

Just when Naruto had finished.

"Enjoying yourself Naruto?" Another bored voice sent chills down his spine.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei. Man your really slow." Naruto chuckled as he hopped off his stool.

"Thanks for the ramen old man. See ya round guys." Naruto and Kakashi began walking the path to the Hokage tower where Sasuke and Sakura were waiting for them.

* * *

It was indeed an A rank mission and the team had been paid accordingly.

Naruto was planning on going shopping while Sasuke and Sakura just went home.

"**Gather your energy for tomorrow kit. You won't be able to move after your training.**" The rough growl of Kyuubi came from the back of his head.

'More training? Awesome!' Naruto thought as he head to the shops.

'What are you gonna teach me this time fox?'

"**Geez, does surprise mean nothing to you. Be patient brat.**"

'Oh come on, it's not like I won't find out later or do you want another look in my closet?' Naruto chuckled.

"**Anything but the closet!**" The fox yelled. "**Fine, I'll teach you everything I know about weapons. First things first, get yourself something better than a kunai.**"

"Yo, Naruto." A voice snapped him out of his conversation with the fox.

"Oh Kiba? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

"Tenten's shop has got a sale on. You should go check it out and re-supply."

"Tenten?"

"Yea, that weapons girl a year ahead of us. She owns a whole shop full of weapons." Kiba explained, Akamaru chipped in with a small yip.

"Hmm, I'll have to check it out, thanks Kiba." Naruto said and hurried on.

* * *

Small chimes rang as the door hit them when Naruto entered the shop.

"Good afternoon, how may I…" A girl dressed in a pink top, blue pants and bunned brown hair started before seeing Naruto.

Naruto was still in his new outfit, it was not like his old jumpsuit, it hugged his body more, showing off his muscles.

"Hi, Tenten, isn't it?" Naruto smiled, catching her eyeing him up.

"Uh…yea that's me. Were you looking for something?" She asked, hiding a small blush as she checked a few kunai.

"Kiba told me you had a sale on."

"Oh, yes, it's on everything you see here." She smiled, looking at some of the more precious and expensive things.

Naruto decided to look around for a bit till he came to a glistening short sword. The fox growled his approval of the blade in his mind.

"How much is this one?" Naruto asked as he admired the blade.

"Erm…It's fifteen thousand ryo, but I don't think I should let you spend that much though Naruto."

"It's no problem, me and my team just got back from an A rank mission."

"An A rank?! Genin shouldn't be put on A rank missions." Tenten stated.

"Well it was a C rank but we ran into Zabuza." Naruto smiled, again proud of his defeat and befriending of the missing nin and his assistant.

"Zabuza Momochi?!" Tenten asked, clearly knowing the famous swordsman.

"How did you survive?! He's one of the seven swordsman of the mist. Did you get his blade? Oh can I see it?" Tenten began playing 20 questions with Naruto as he causally brushed them off.

"Yea, it looks like a huge butchers knife with a circle cut out in the middle and half a circle cut out on the blade side." Naruto explained.

"The Decapitating Carving Knife." Tenten finished.

"Is that what it's called? It just looked like a butcher's knife to me." Naruto chuckled.

"Wow, so what happened? Is he dead? Did your team get it?" Tenten asked.

Naruto thought for a moment, it was best to tell her the same story he'd told the others, that Zabuza had escaped.

"Damn, you got me all excited Naruto." Tenten sulked playfully while she sheathed the sword on display and tolled it up on the register.

"You never know, either of us could run into him again." Naruto chuckled, taking his sword.

"One can only hope so." She replied dreamily. "So that'll be fourteen thoused ryo please.

"I though it was fifteen." Naruto asked, confused.

"I gave you a little discount for the information." Tenten winked. "Do you even know how to wield one of those?"

Naruto looked like he was having a little difficulty strapping it on.

"I'll get the hang of it." He replied before clicking the strap into place over his right shoulder and the sword clattering to the floor. "Damn it."

Tenten sighed,

"Look, come round sometime and I'll give you some training when you decide to learn properly."

"Fine. If I have trouble I'll come to you for help, promise." he grinned, slotting the sword back into it's sheath.

Naruto handed the cash over as he left the store, waving back to Tenten.

'Why did you tell me to get this one?' Naruto thought to the fox.

"**Short swords are best for a ninja. They are easily carried, easily hidden and can be drawn faster than you can move.**" Kyuubi growled to him.

'What about your knowledge about weapons. You're a fox, you have claws.'

"**Insolent fool! You think after years of roaming the lands I couldn't, I don't know, change my form and move among you humans!**" The fox yelled in anger.

'You can to the transformation jutsu?' Naruto asked.

"**Of course I can, unlike someone I know who has trouble with making a simple clone.**" Kyuubi smirked.

'That was a low blow.' Naruto thought back, mocking hurt.

"**Hmm, serves you right for underestimating me…**" The fox trailed off as Naruto arrived at the corner before the grocery store.

Naruto put his hands together, performing the dog, boar and tiger seals and focusing his chakra.

"Transform." he muttered as his image became that of Iruka's.

"**Hmph, seems like you finally managed to do even that in the end.**" the fox grunted in approval before curling up to sleep.

'Lazy fox.' Naruto thought as he entered the shop.

* * *

He emerged 20 minutes later with a few bags of shopping that would last him a week. He walked to the end of the street before ending the transformation.

Shino had watched him leave the store. He considered the actions before heading home.

Naruto made it back to his apartment before nightfall. He dragged his shopping upstairs, making it to his floor. He arrived at his front door only to see the words: "Leave Demon!" painted over the door and wall in dark red paint.

Naruto just sighed and opened the door, dropping his shopping and backpack on the sofa and putting what needed cooling away in the fridge or freezer.

It was barely 8 'o' clock before Naruto slumped into bed, removing his new sword. Unusually tired from the day's journey and shopping.

* * *

"**Rise and shine sleepy head!**" The Kyuubi yelled like a badly timed alarm clock.

"What?! What is it?! Wha…?" Naruto yelled, instantly sitting upright.

"**Time to train kit.**" Kyuubi smirked in his mind.

Naruto barely opening his eyes, glanced at the alarm clock.

'It's 4 in the morning!' Naruto complained before laying down to sleep.

"**I don't have a snooze button, get up now!**" Kyuubi roared and Naruto wearily got out of bed.

'Fine, fine. Just gimme a minute.' Naruto muttered, a little revenge was in order.

Doors slid open.

"**Gah! Burn it with fire!**" The fox shouted out as Naruto, once again, subjected him to see the sea of orange that was Naruto's closet.

'Revenge for getting me up this early fox! Now why do I have to get up this early?' Naruto thought as he took care of business.

"**Early to sleep, early to rise and all that human mumbo jumbo.**" The fox chuckled.

'Yea yea.' Naruto thought before grabbing a fresh outfit from his pack, his sword and head out the door.

He turned to lock the door only to discover the paint was gone. Drips of water ran down the wall where the paint was thickest.

Naruto shrugged it off as someone just not wanting to get caught removing their handiwork and left the building.

* * *

He arrived at team 7's training ground around 4:30 when the sun still wasn't up yet before confronting the fox again.

'Alright fox, we're here, now hurry up so I can go back to bed.'

"**That's no way to talk to your mentor.**" The fox smirked.

Naruto sat down and crossed his legs in with his back resting on the middle stump as he appeared within his mindscape.

"**Alight kit, brace yourself.**" the fox warned as the his knowledge of kenjutsu flowed into Naruto's mind.

"Well? Are you gonna do it or what?" Naruto asked as the fox looked at him confused.

"**I have, though why aren't you on the ground clutching your head in pain the way I like to see you.**"

Naruto scanned his memory and "recalled" all the information he had on kenjutsu.

"I dunno, maybe I'm just used to it." Naruto said, "It's not like anything's changed."

The fox thought as he remembered Naruto wasn't in his mindscape previously.

"**It appears the only difference is you being here.**"

"Well at least now I won't get anymore of those headaches."

"**Damn, why did I tell you that.**" The fox scolded himself.

Naruto laughed as he left his mindscape.

He rose, removed his jacket and drew his blade. It was about 25 inches in length, the hand guard was steel painted gold while the handle

thinking back on a sword formation, he tried to copy the style he saw on the inside.

The only problem? Him failing miserably.

The fox was roaring with laughter in his head as he dropped his sword yet again.

'I know how to do it now, but what am I doing wrong?' Naruto asked as he stuck his sword in the ground.

"**Can't you figure it out? It's the same as regular jutsu. It's a combination of body and mind energy, you have the knowledge but not your body doesn't know how to move correctly.**" he laughed again.

'Baka, how could I not remember that.' he scolded himself.

"**If I were you, I'd take up those lessons that sexy kunoichi offered to you.**"

'Ero-kitsune!' Naruto thought angrily as he accepted that he would need help.

The total morning was not a waste though. He decided that now he was up, he may as well practise his other techniques.

He spent the morning practising his chakra control when summoning shadow clones, trying to use the least amount possible for a large number of clones.

About 100 of the clones he created were not dispelled every few seconds. Instead, the practised the Foxes Claw Jutsu.

* * *

By lunch, Naruto could summon 1000 clones with little effort and could nearly use the foxes claw in both hands at once.

Looking up at the sun, he thought it was about time for lunch. He wiped his brow as he dispelled the clones and put his jacket back over his black shirt, making his way back into town.

A small white eyed Hyūga stepped out from behind a tree, a blush featuring heavily on her face.

"Naruto…"

* * *

After stopping at Ichiraku's for lunch, Naruto made his way back to Tenten's store.

The crimes rang out again as Naruto entered.

"Hey Naruto, come to admit you need training?" Tenten joked.

"Yes, actually." Naruto replied sheepishly. "I can see all the forms in my head but I can't perform them right."

"Done your research eh?" She giggled. "Come on, I'll show you where I learned how to wield a sword."

She walked half way up the stairs before gesturing him to follow.

"**Go on kit, you know you want to.**" The fox chuckled as Naruto followed Tenten upstairs anyway.

'Give it a rest would ya!' He thought back.

Tenten led him into a room next to the staircase. It easily covered most of upstairs.

Inside the room were: several wooden training dummies full of dents from hard training, targets propped all around in random places, and what Naruto assumed was a bored breaker which had a very thick piece of iron on it.

Tenten removed a scroll from her side and unsealed a short sword within.

It was similar to Naruto's except it had a small pink heart in the centre of the hand guard."When I'm through with you, you'll be able to do this." She smirked and brought her shortsword down through the block of iron, slicing it in two.

"Whoa! Cool!" Naruto exclaimed as his rigorous training began.

* * *

Naruto had spent the remaining portion of the day practising his footwork and positioning upstairs while Tenten flitted between the shop and Naruto, getting a workout whilst working was exhausting.

Night began to fall as Tenten closed up shop as Naruto collapsed down the stairs.

Tenten giggled at Naruto's expression as he maundered his way to the door.

"Thanks again for the training Tenten, when should I come round next?" Naruto asked politely as he opened the door.

"Well it's not long till the chūnin exams so I'm going to be pretty busy…" Tenten started as Naruto looked a little crestfallen. "…but I'm sure I can make some time for you." She replied sweetly.

Naruto flashed her his best foxy grin.

"So tomorrow?" he asked, hopefully.

"Sure, just don't expect me to be up early." Tenten said and gave him a little push on his chest, shifting him out onto the street. "You go get some rest too!" before locking the door and turning the open sign to closed.

Naruto walked home with a spring in his step that night, eager to continue his kenjutsu lessons.

* * *

Elsewhere, red eyes pierced the darkness as the Uchiha continued his taijutsu training, banging sounds heard every second.

'I must get stronger! I must get stronger!…' Was played like a loop in his mind.

The hoot of a nearby owl was heard as the moon rose and Sasuke's grunts only increased as his hands became bloodier.

He finally collapsed, out of breath and out of energy, wrapped around what remained of a log and falling asleep.

* * *

Dreams of a young Uchiha and Uzumaki plagued our pinkette's mind as she dreamed the night away, mumbles of their names emerging from her mouth every now and then.

* * *

Time passed quickly for the genin in Konoha. Naruto trained hard to physically train his sword skills. Sasuke kept his training secret for the most part while Sakura realized she was the dead last in the group and decided to do something about it.

About two weeks later and Team 7 had finished another boring D rank mission.

"How come we still have to do these stupid missions Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto seethed.

Kakashi just sighed, looking up from his ever present Icha Icha Paradise.

"That C turned A rank was an exception, you still don't have the teamwork or rank required to go out on C rank mission."

"Come on Kakashi-sensei, we've all trained really hard, I know we can do better!" Naruto pleaded as both Sakura and Sasuke agreed with him, if only in their minds.

A hawk flew overhead, squawking, and Kakashi glanced at it.

"Well, I've got to go give my mission report." He said quickly before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

A small box shaped rock shuffled it's way closer to the group.

"Aw man. Kakashi-sensei never gives us a challenge." Naruto complained and sat down on the box, smirking.

Sasuke just scoffed and began to walk away.

"Where are you going Sasuke?" Sakura turned to him as he muttered back.

"…Training."

Sakura just gave his back a sympathetic look before she groaned, missing out on more time with Sasuke due to his secret training.

However hard she looked she could never find him.

A loud thump was heard as she turned to see an overturned, badly painted rock, Naruto sitting up rubbing his backside and three academy students, each with the same green goggles Naruto used to wear on their foreheads.

Naruto just grinned at them.

Konohamaru lead the group with his long blue scarf flowing behind him as usual. Udon, the other boy, wearing glasses and had a bored expression on his face while Moegi, the only girl of the trio had her bright orange hair up in twin ponytails, giving Naruto a look of admiration.

"So you found us, eh boss." Konohamaru called out, pointing a finger at Naruto.

He just chuckled,

"You weren't hard to spot."

"Come on Naruto, you said you'd show us your awesome new sword moves today!" Moegi spoke up, glancing from Naruto to his sword and back again.

'Naruto actually knows how to use that thing?' Sakura thought.

"Oh yea. I did, didn't I." Naruto recalled, "Go on, I'll meet you at Team 7's training ground."

The three academy students ran ahead around the fence while Naruto turned to face Sakura.

"You wanna come too, Sakura?" He asked politely.

Sakura did want to see how good Naruto was but she also wanted to go find Sasuke.

A cry pierced the air coming from the direction the Konohamaru corps. ran.

Ninja instincts kicking in, both Naruto and Sakura hurried to investigate.

They found Konohamaru held by the scarf a few feet in the air by a black clothed ninja with a wrapped, person shaped object on his back and purple face paint. A girl with a large black fan on her back stood next to him, her blond hair in four ponytails, lavender top and shorts tired with a red sash with mesh underneath.

"Hey! Let him go!" Naruto shouted, running up to a scared Udon and Moegi.

"Drop him Kankuro, he's just a kid." The blonde scolded as the boy named Kankuro just chuckled.

"Don't worry Temari, I'm only gonna pay this brat back for running into me."

He raised a fist to punch Konohamaru.

Naruto quickly formed a single shadow clone.

Kankuro's fist shot forward, smashing the blonde boy in the face before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Both Kankuro an Temari stared in confusion as Naruto held a shocked Konohamaru.

"Don't ever lay a finger on him again, or you'll regret it!" Naruto whispered rather darkly, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sakura was awestruck, she felt her old fan girl instincts itch to kick in.

Temari just flashed Naruto a small smile.

'Kid's got talent.' She thought.

The boy dressed in black just smirked at Naruto before sensing some killer intent heading his way.

"Stop it, Kankuro. You're an embarrassment to our village." Came a dark voice from a nearby tree.

A small red haired boy no older than Naruto hung underneath a branch on the tree.

"You're pathetic, being tricked by a leaf genin."

"Listen Gaara, they started it and…" Kankuro began explaining hurriedly before Gaara cut him off.

"Shut up! Or I'll kill you!" Gaara muttered, letting a little more killer intent leak out.

'I barely saw him move myself…this one may prove…fun to kill." Gaara thought as he disappeared in a flurry of sand, reappearing in front of his two team mates.

"Let's go." He muttered to the other two before turning to walk away.

"Wait!" Naruto called out as the red head turned. "What's your name kid?"

"…Gaara of the desert…yours?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, future Hokage of Konoha!" Naruto declared proudly.

Temari giggled at this and Kankuro just scoffed.

"Nice to know…" Gaara replied before turning again.

"What are they even doing here?" Sakura whispered to Naruto as he glared at the trio walking away.

"Tenten told me the chūnin exams are coming up, they must be here for those." Naruto replied as the trio rounded the corner, out of sight.

"Chūnin exams? You think Kakashi will let us enter them?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura…the chūnin exams require strong skills and team work to make it through even one of the stages…" Naruto began darkly, "Of ocurse he'll let us enter, we're awesome!" He finished with a wide grin on his face.

"Er…boss? You can let me down now…" Konohamaru squeeked.

Naruto looked down to see he was still holding the young boy in his arms.

"Ah!" Naruto jumped and dropped Konohamaru on the floor, landing on his butt. "Don't scare me like that!"

* * *

Naruto and the group shrugged off the meeting with the sand trio and spent the afternoon in Team 7's training field.

Naruto demonstrated his sword skills before he played "Ninja" with the young trio.

Sakura sat on a rock and laughed as she watched her friends run around through the trees, she even joined in towards the end.

Soon it was time for the kids to go home as Naruto and Sakura decided to head back too.

"Enjoy yourself Sakura?" Naruto asked as they walked back through town.

"It was surprisingly fun Naruto, thanks." She smiled before running up to her front door. "I'll see you tomorrow." She called back as the door clicked shut.

Naruto smiled to himself as he walked back down the street towards his home.

He felt a familiar chakra signature on the roof of a building.

Utilizing his speed and tree climbing abilities, Naruto rushed up the side of the building to see Kakashi, leaning back against the door leading into the building.

"Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing up here? Were you following us?" Naruto asked a serious looking Kakashi before noticing his lack of orange book.

"Your skills have vastly improved since you were in the academy, Naruto." Kakashi spoke, reaching into his pouch and pulling out a slip of paper.

Naruto looked at it confused before taking it, reading it over in his head.

"This application form will allow you to take the chūnin exams, I believe you are ready."

Naruto started at the paper, not really believing it to be true.

"What about Sasuke and Sakura?" He asked, "Doesn't the whole team have to take part?"

"I have already given Sasuke and Sakura little tests of their own and they proved worthy of entering. If you all accept, be at the academy, room 301 tomorrow by 4pm or else you can't take part." Kakashi told him before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Naruto just looked at the sheet again before letting out a loud cheer of joy.

"Keep it down out there!" a voice called out from somewhere as more jeers joined the first.

Not wanting to get caught, Naruto quickly hurried back to his apartment and entered via the window.

"**Seems your getting more powerful by the day kit.**" The fox stirred, "**Even your sensei thinks so.**"

'You said it fox! I'm gonna be one step closer to becoming Hokage, believe it!' Naruto thought as he rushed around his apartment, getting everything ready for tomorrow.

* * *

A Leaf ninja with round glasses and silver hair stepped out from the shadows after over hearing Kakashi and Naruto's little conversation.

"These exams are going to be interesting…" He hissed before disappearing back into the shdaows.

* * *

A/N: Well I just thought I'd leave the actual exams for a new chapter. The next poll is up, you each get 2 votes for two people you want to be in the harem. Review people, I still can't get enough of them, thanks to everyone who has already reviewed and your cookies are in the post! Lemme know what you think.

Ja Ne ninja fans!


	7. Chapter 7

**The New Naruto**

Thanks for everyone who has voted on the poll so far, surprising amount of votes for certain people.

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 7 – The Chūnin Exams **

4 'o' clock couldn't come fast enough for Naruto.

His morning routine consisted of sleeping, ramen and some last minute light training before heading to meet his team at the academy.

The yard was full of teams warning up or checking over their equipment.

"Hey! Sakura, Sasuke!" Naruto called out.

They both turned to see Naruto walking towards them, his trademark grin plastered on his face.

"Hmph, I see you decided not to bathe yourself in orange today dobe." Sasuke's dreary voice came as Naruto walked past them.

Sakura and Sasuke gave him a confused look before he turned back to them.

"You coming or what? I can't wait to get started!"

Sakura just giggled and Sasuke sighed as they followed him into the building.

Inside they found a small crowd gathered around the door to the exam room.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked himself.

"We're not going to know, are we." Sakura scolded lightly.

Sasuke didn't want to wait and pushed himself to the front of the crowd.

Naruto and Sakura just looked at each other before following after him.

Two leaf genin were standing in front of room 301, preventing anyone from enetering, including a green suited genin.

"Pathetic, if you can't get past us, what makes you think your cut out for this exam?" The genin with the 3 bandages on his face smirked.

"Yea, we're doing you a favour keeping you out of here." The one with the mask similar to Kakashi laughed.

"Just let us through, we have as much right to do this as you do." A feminine voice called out.

Naruto looked around and spotted Tenten helping her green and orange clad team mate to his feet. The fashion reject wore a dark green jumpsuit and orange legwarmers, a similar colour to Naruto's old outfit.

Tenten tried to walk between the bullies but receive a fast smack to the face from the bandaged one.

Naruto's anger flared at this as his eyes changed.

Suddenly, the genin that struck was doubled over in pain.

Naruto had planted his fist deep into his gut.

"Don't ever touch my friend again!" he muttered darkly.

Everyone was stunned at the speed and power Naruto had put into that punch.

Naruto turned, his eyes back to normal before helping Tenten to her feet and leaving the crowd.

Sasuke was giving Naruto a hard glare, he'd never seen him move so fast.

Naruto helped Tenten to a bench before setting her down.

"You ok? Tenten?" He asked as his team and the green suited leaf ninja from before made their way over.

"Yea, I'm fine thanks Naruto." She replied, blushing lightly.

Sakura gave Tenten a slightly jealous frown.

"Tenten, what that fellow ninja did was most unyouthful!" The orange and green fashion disaster yelled, giving his team mate a sympathetic look.

"Calm down Lee," Tenten whispered harshly, "Neji told us not to draw attention to ourselves."

"You've already ruined that plan." a cold voice came from behind Lee.

They turned to see Neji with a stern look on his face. His light grey eyes frowning in anger.

"Sorry Neji…" Tenten muttered, looking own at the floor as Lee remained silent.

Neji's gaze drifted to Naruto.

"You seemed to cause quite a stir yourself. What's your name?" he asked.

Naruto met Neji's piercing gaze an replied.

"Uzumaki, Naruto. You're this Neji Hyūga Tenten's told me so much about."

"Correct, Tenten, Lee, we're going." Neji ordered as he walked away towards the stairs.

Tenten, Sakura and Lee looked confused.

"Neji, where are you going? Isn't the exam room…" Tenten began.

"Actually, you should take a closer look." Naruto whispered in her ear.

Tenten glanced at the number above the door the two genin were still guarding. It read 301 but something wasn't right with it.

"Genjutsu." Naruto whispered again, loud enough for only the 4 around him to hear. "It's probably to weed out the weaker ninja, it's lucky you have a Hyūga on your team though."

Sasuke scowled, he was going to show the bullies up by revealing their plot, he never thought to eliminate the competition at this stage.

"I see it." Sakura realized as she saw through the genjutsu. "This is only the second floor."

"Yea, the more competition we get rid of now, the less we have later." Sasuke smirked, keeping his confident attitude present.

"What are we waiting for then, to the exam." Lee cheered just quiet enough to keep attention off them as they headed upstairs.

Sasuke led the group as Naruto walked with Tenten and Lee walked next to Sakura.

"You look beautiful today Sakura." Lee smiled, his teeth giving a strong white ping.

"Uh…thanks." Sakura gave him a weird look.

'He has some of the biggest eyebrows I've ever seen! What a frea…' Sakura's train of thought left her as Inner came out to play.

'You disgust me!' Inner yelled at Sakura.

'What, it's true.' She thought back.

'Naruto wore a bright orange jumpsuit and runs around shouting how he's going to be Hokage, you still like him though.' Inner yelled again.

'But…' Sakrua began thinking back.

'No buts! Give this guy a chance you barely know him!' Inner shouted before receding back into Sakura's mind.

Sakura felt bad about judging Lee like she had Naruto before and just quietly continued with the group.

Naruto and Tenten were chatting merrily about weapons and techniques they knew and shared.

The group made it to the real room 301 and entered.

Sasuke pushed both the doors open to reveal very fierce looking genin from all different nations talking.

"Woah, big turn out." Naruto muttered glancing around the room.

He saw at least 100 people in the room, maybe more, all from different hidden villages.

Naruto was trying to identify each of the headbands when…

"Sasuke! I haven't seen you in ages!" A certain blondes voice shrieked as she jumped onto Sasuke and stuck there.

Sakura turned to see an excited Ino clutching onto her team mate.

Ino met Sakura's gaze.

"Jealous forehead?" She asked, trying to provoke a response out of Sakura.

Sakura just looked at Ino and shrugged,

"Just wait for it…" she muttered.

"Wait for what?"

"Get off me!" Sasuke shouted, rolling his shoulders back, knocking Ino onto the floor. Sakura giggled to herself.

"Oof, Sasuke, what was that for? I was only saying "hi"." Ino defended while a hand offered itself to her.

"Get up, or we'll look bad in front of the other villages." Came Shikamaru's bored voice.

Ino took his had and pulled herself up off the wooden floor as Chōji trailed in behind Shikamaru, his bags of chips ever present in his arms.

"Hey Naruto, good to see you!" Chōji called out as he spotted him.

Ino looked to where Chōji was facing and saw Naruto's new look for the 1st time.

"That's Naruto?" She gasped, "Wow, Shikamaru was right, you really have changed Naruto."

"Hehe, thanks Ino." Naruto smiled.

Ino started eyeing the new Naruto up and down before another voice joined the conversation.

"Yahoo! Found you." Kiba shouted, Akamaru perched on top of his hood, walking over to the gang. "Looks like everyone made it for the chūnin exams!"

"Hello everyone…" Hinata's voice said shyly, almost hidden behind Kiba.

"Kiba, Shino, Hinata! You guys are here too?" Naruto smirked as things got a little more interesting.

Hinata blushed as he noticed her as Shino just gave Naruto his usual nod.

"Yep, our sensei trained us so hard we could beat all of you!" Kiba yelled proudly, wit Akamaru agreeing with a little yip.

"I'd like to see you try dog breath!" Naruto yelled back as the two tried to stare each other down.

"What did I say about drawig attention to yourselves." Neji's voice rang out behind everyone as Hinata cringed a little. "Everyone is looking at us now."

"So what, they should get a good look at the guy that's going to beat them!" Naruto smirked as several mutters, whispers and laughs were heard throughout the room.

"What idiots." Sasuke muttered himself as he stuck his hands in his pockets.

"You're so funny…Naruto…" Hinata whispered, poking her fingers together.

Naruto's ears picked up on Hinata's words. He smiled to himself.

"You guys should really keep it down." A sly voice called out.

The Konoha Twelve turned to see a leaf ninja a few years older than them with short grey hair in a small ponytail and circular glasses walk up to them.

"You're really drawing attention to yourself. Anymore noise and people might just snap."

Naruto and co. glanced around and saw over 200 eyes glaring at them.

"I'd watch out for the mist ninja near you, they aren't known for their patience." The boy smirked. "Then again, you remind me of how I was when I was your age."

"Who are you?" Sasuke spoke up, eyeing the boy oddly.

"Isn't it customary to give your own name first? No matter, I am Kabuto Yakushi. I, of course, know who all of you are." Kabuto smirked again, glancing at each of the genin.

Naruto felt a cold shiver down his back.

"**I don't like this one…**" The fox stirred within Naruto's mind.

'Huh? Why not, he seems ok, I guess…In that creepy way.' Naruto thought back.

"**Just be careful what you do around him, something isn't right.**" The fox warned as it stretched in his cage.

Naruto mentally nodded as Kabuto pulled out a deck of cards.

"I think I'll help you guys out. Give you a bit of an edge one might say."

Sasuke eyes widened at this and walked over along with the others.

"I made them myself," Kabuto smiled, holding up a blank card. "Only my chakra can reveal the secrets they hold."

Kabuto twirled the card on the ground and pushed his chakra into it. Instantly, information on the chūnin exams appeared in the form of a map of the world with bars for the amount of applicants from that region.

"Seems there are 153 people taking part in this year's exams." Shikamaru drolled as soon as the information map appeared.

"Correct." Kabuto said, "Most of those are from here in Konoha."

"What about people? Do you have any information on the genin here?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course. Why? Is there someone you wish to check out?" Kabuto asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Sasuke stated, much to the surprise of the people around him. Naruto was especially confused as well as proud, he'd made Sasuke realize he was every bit as good as he was.

"Your own team mate? Very well." Kabuto obeyed, picking out a card with a flick of his wrist and pushing some chakra into it.

"Naruto Uzumaki, same age as you, nine D-rank missions and one A-rank?" Kabuto began as the groups eyes then turned on team 7.

"Sensei is Kakashi Hatake, you and Sakura are his team mates. It seems he has gained some expertise in kenjutsu as well as an increase in ninjutsu and taijutsu."

Naruto just smirked at the praise as Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru and Chōji saw Naruto in a new light.

"You really know kenjutsu?" Kiba asked, followed with another short yip from Akamaru.

"Yea, Tenten taught me everything I know, I owe her a lot." Naruto grinned as Tenten blushed a little.

"Another note here says you defeated one Zabuza Momochi?" Kabuto said, stunned himself.

"It wasn't just me, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei helped out a lot too."

Sakura felt a little dejected, even though the truth hurt, she had done nothing but stand in front of Tazuna the entire mission.

"That's one of the seven swordsman of the mist." Shino stated bluntly. "What happened to him?"

Sakura and Sasuke opened their mouths to tell them before Naruto quickly cut in.

"He escaped! With the help of this hunter ninja who was good with senbon."

"A hunter ninja?" Ino questioned.

"Well she wasn't really a hunter ninja, she was a fake." Naruto sweat dropped, putting his arm behind his head.

Ninja were beginning to listen into the conversation.

"Zabuza huh? He was quite famous wasn't he?"

"Yea, he tried to assassinate the Mizukage."

"Wow, and this little brat beat him?"

A monotone voice spoke within the crowd.

"Hmmm, he really will be fun to kill." Gaara spoke as his brother looked taken aback.

"This guy just gets more interesting by the second." Temari smiled in the blondes direction.

The only three sound ninja glanced up at this bit of information.

The female with the weird scarf muttered to the other two.

"Should we report this?"

"No, leave it be for now, we'll test their real strength soon." The one with fur on his back and bandages covering all but his left eye muttered.

A few moments and mutterings later…

Poof! A large amount of smoke appeared at the front of the class.

"Alright you worthless genin, eyes forward and shut the hell up!" A gruff voice shouted from the smoke.

Many of the genin jumped as others yelled in surprise.

A massive man in a long black cloak and leaf bandana covering his head appeared along with at least 30 scary looking chūnin behind him.

The man in the black coat had several scars along his face and had a look that screamed, "Mess with me and I break you."

"Alright everyone, my name is Ibiki Morino. I am your first examiner." He smirked, chūnin began to seat themselves around the edge of the room.

"I hope you all have friends in other nations, everyone line up and take a number. Your number will coordinate with your seating arrangement. I won't tolerate any babies who don't want to sit next to a stranger."

Slowly people walked to the front and received their numbers.

Naruto walked up to the chūnin handing the numbers out and got his; 35. Great(!) that would put him near the front.

Several murmurs filled the room as people say down in their places.

Naruto glanced around as he saw his friends take their places; Sakura was near the middle, Sasuke toward the back. One of the Konoha 12 managed to snag a seat next to him.

Lee sat down in place no. 36.

"Greetings Naruto, I must thank you again for defending my team mate." Lee gave him the shiney teeth-thumbs up.

"Ur…no problem Lee, so what do you think this test will be?" Naruto nervously smiled back.

"I do no know, but I am sure our flames of youth will be able to conquer any challenge they throw at us." Now Lee was just too embarrassing.

"This is a written exam and you will be given one hour to complete it." Ibiki called out to the room.

Naruto's eyes widened significantly at this information.

He put his head in his hands as Lee gave him a sympathetic look. He had not known Naruto long but had heard of his pranks and endeavours, any mistake he made spread like wildfire through the town, Naruto failing the exam time after time was one such example.

Ibiki explained the rules to everyone while the fox spoke up.

"**You do have one advantage in this test.**"

'What would that be fur ball' Naruto thought.

"**Me and my knowledge brat.**" The fox snarled at Naruto's rudeness.

"The third rule is that if anyone is caught cheating, they will lose 2 points from the initial 10. Anyone who gets caught 5 times or doesn't answer any questions correctly will fail with their two team mates." Ibiki finished darkly.

Naruto suddenly felt two pairs of eyes burning a hole in the back of his head.

"You have one hour…begin!" Ibiki called out as the final paper was delivered to no. 158 and pencils began furiously scribbling.

Naruto looked down at his paper.

There was no way he could answer any of these questions.

"You are 100 miles from your destination and the sun is exactly 90 degrees from your position. You spend 3 hours travelling west at 10 meters a step every 6 seconds. What angle from 90 degrees is the sun now at and how far are you from your destination?"

'What the hell? How can anyone answer this?' Naruto thought loudly in his head. 'Fox! Yea, can you help me with this?'

Naruto got no response.

There was no snarling face at the cage door anymore, just the outline of a great beast hidden in the dark corner of the cage.

'Some help you are!' Naruto thought angrily as he stared blankly at his test.

All over the room, people had already picked up on the idea of the test and had begun using their techniques to cheat. Akamaru was barking quietly on kiba's head, Neji's byakugan was blazing as well as Sasuke's Sharingan.

Naruto clutched his head in confusion as he wracked his brain, trying to figure out a single answer.

He looked over at Lee for help.

Lee glanced up at the ceiling and tightened his head band.

Naruto glanced up, trying to be as sneaky as he could and caught a glimpse of several mirrors attached to the ceiling with several wires controlling their movements.

Naruto looked behind him and saw the wires being held by Tenten. Eureka! So that was it! He had to cheat and not get caught.

New ideas flew through Naruto's mind as he tried to devise a way to cheat with his skills.

A brilliant idea suddenly hit him. He quickly scanned his test paper and memorized the questions from easiest to hardest he thought.

"Excuse me!" Naruto's hand shot up.

One of the chūnin examiners walked over to him. It was Kotetsu.

"What is it Naruto?" he whispered.

"Erm…I have to go to the bathroom." Naruto mumbled.

"Can't you hold it?" Kotetsu replied, clearly annoyed.

"No, I forgot to go before the exam and I'm bursting." He began fidgeting in his seat, trying to be convincing.

Kotetsu sighed and took out a pair of handcuffs.

Naruto nudged past people and put them on at the end of the row as Kotetsu led him out of the room with disapproving eyes glaring at him from several ninja.

Kotetsu and Naruto wandered down the hall and made it to the bathroom where Naruto was given a little privacy to do business, courtesy of a small wall separating the urinals and the entrance.

When Naruto was sure his chūnin guide couldn't see him, he performed his favourite hand sign.

Another Naruto popped into existence, pressed tightly against the wall as the tiny amount of smoke cleared.

Naruto impressed himself, looking the clone over until he realised the clone had the same handcuffs as he did on.

Baka.

"Hurry up would ya, you don't want to miss anymore time do you?" Kotetsu asked as Naruto zipped up his pants and walked around the side.

"Finished." He smirked, flashing his foxy grin to act as "Naruto" as possible.

"Yea, yea, just get going will ya." Kotetsu sighed, leading Naruto back out of the door and back to the examination room.

A second Naruto waited five minutes before checking the coast was clear, before hurrying down the other way, through an open window and into the city.

Naruto had 30 minutes left before the test was over and began thinking about the 10th question. He'd glanced at it but figured that they would explain it when there was only 15 minutes left like it said it would so he didn't worry about that.

'I wonder if they'll ask us to demonstrate jutsu or something. Like we did in the school exam.' Naruto pondered while the fox still gave no reply, deciding to hide for now until Naruto forgot about his uselessness in this exam.

The next 10 minutes passed slowly as several teams left after being seen when Naruto sat up straight. The memories of his clone came flowing back to him.

Naruto began scribbling as he recalled all the information the clone had looked up in a copy of "Advanced equations and calculations" in the library. He also remembered from his clone that sneaking around and reading were much harder with handcuffs. It was also a bit odd that he'd found such a useful book in the jōnin section…

That big idiot from the sand trio probably copied him, asking to go to the bathroom as well and returning soon after. A soft buzzing was heard over Naruto's shoulder as an insect past him by.

'Probably one of Shino's.' Naruto thought.

"Ok, time for the last question." Ibiki announced, "There are a few more rules to this question so listen up."

The door slid open as Kankurō returned from the bathroom.

"How nice of you to join us, you have fun playing dolls?" Ibiki smirked as Kankurō winced, fearing his discovery and expulsion from the test.

"Just sit down." Ibiki turned back to the room. "As I was saying, there will be some special rules for this question. First, you can choose whether or not to take this question…" Several people looked confused.

"Choose? What happens if we choose not to take it?" Temari called out, rising to her feet.

"You will fail, along with your team mates!" Ibiki smirked.

"Of course we'll take it then! What fool wouldn't!" A waterfall ninja called out.

"You haven't heard the other rule yet…" Ibiki chuckled darkly, making some genin back down. "Answer the 10th question incorrectly and you will lose the right to ever take the chūnin exams again!"

"That can't be right!" Kiba yelled, "There are people who have taken the exam before!"

Ibiki just chuckled.

"They were lucky, they didn't have me as an examiner before. Fortunately I'm a nice guy and I'll offer those you who don't want to take the question a chance to leave now and try again next year."

Several hands were raised as numbers 67, 48 and 113 left almost immediately with their team mates.

People began to lose confidence as several more joined the fleeing few.

Naruto was shaking.

Sakura glanced over to her team mate.

'Poor Naruto, first a written test then the possibility to lose his shot at Hokage…' She thought as she saw Naruto's arms clasp his sides, still shaking.

An echoing laughter erupted in the room. It's source was the shaking blonde genin.

"Hahaha! Wow, some people really can't cut it." Naruto laughed, almost falling from his seat, clutching his sides as they threatened to slip.

Ibiki looked unimpressed.

"Hmph, you think you got what it takes ya little brat?"

"You got it! Your looking at the future Hokage!" Naruto yelled, "I never back down, even if I have to risk it all."

The room went deadly silent as Naruto finished his little speech. People were inspired by his courage and those that looked nervous before had regained their confidence.

'Hehe, well done kid.' Ibiki thought.

"You sure? You'll never become Hokage if you make one small error." trying to play Naruto for a fool.

Naruto just sat back in his chair and folded his arms in defiance.

Ibiki glanced around the room.

'66 genin left, a little less than last time.' Ibiki smirked.

"Congratulations, you all pass the first test!"Several genin were confused while the news hit others fast as they cheered as fists raised into the air in success.

Sakura was one of the confused people.

"What about the 10th question?" She called out.

"I guess you could say that was the 10th question. To choose to take it or not." Ibiki smiled back, a warm smile unlike his previous scary faced ones.

"What were the first 9 questions for then?" Temari shouted, outraged at being deceived.

"Couldn't you tell? They were to test you're information gathering ability. Getting caught gathering information simulates getting caught on a mission, if you're careless or discovered, you're a goner." Ibiki said smugly. "These questions were too hard for a genin, maybe even for some chūnin, which is why you had to come to the conclusion that cheating had to be the answer."

Several leaf ninja rose from their spots and walked to the edges of the room.

"We planted several chūnin who knew the answers to the questions to give you a fighting chance. When you go out on a mission you know next to nothing about, your first objective is to gather more information. More information means a bigger chance of success for the mission." Ibiki started, taking off his bandanna. "Fail, and you might end up wishing you were dead."

Several screw holes, burn marks and scars decorated Ibiki's head, showing his dome to the class.

"Information must also be accurate, if it isn't, it could cost you or your team mates their lives." he finished, returning his bandanna to it's former position.

"You have all passed the 1st part of the chūnin exam, good luck in the next par…" Ibiki began before the window on the left smashed to pieces as a black ball of something whizzed throught the air in front of Ibiki.

Two kunai shot out towards the ceiling as the ball unwrapped and a purple, pineapple haired woman stood in front of the now unwrapped banner reading, "2nd test proctor: Anko Mitarashi!".

'Jumped the gun as usual.' Ibiki thought behind the banner.

"All right boys and girls, I'll be your next proctor, Anko Mitarashi! Yea!" The woman called out, raising her hand in the air pointing to the ceiling.

Everyone gave her a stunned look while Naruto looked at the spot she was pointing to.

"Your early, again." Ibiki muttered to her, peeking out from behind the curtain as Anko laughed nervously in embarrassment.

"22 teams? Not bad 'biki, but I can more than half that amount with my test." The mesh clad jōnin announced, giving half the students a nervous looks on their faces.

Naruto took this time to examine the nutcase.

She wore a long brown over coat with a mesh shirt and tights underneath, topping it off with her orange skirt and armour plated sandals.

"This is gonna be fun!" She muttered with a sly smirk. "Meet me in the morning, I'll let your sensei know where to find me, dismissed."

Some genin hurried away from the room as fast as they could while others slowly made their way out. Naruto caught up with his team mates in the hall.

"Sasuke, Sakura! How did you guys do?" He asked.

"We made it through, didn't we dobe, can't you guess?" Sasuke replied sarcastically.

Naruto glared at Sasuke.

"I meant how did you cheat?"

"How do you think?" Sasuke smirked, his sharingan flashing up before receding back.

"I managed to complete the whole thing without cheating." Sakura smiled proudly.

"Woah, I never knew you were that smart Sakura." Naruto replied, amazed.

"What about you Naruto?" She asked him politely as the trio made it out into the fresh air once again.

"When I went to the bathroom I had a shadow clone hide then sneak out and into the library." He grinned, resting his arms behind his head.

Sakura looked confused. Sasuke took this opportunity to sneak away from the dobe and the fan girl to work on more important things.

"How does that work?" She asked.

"Well when a shadow clone "dies" I get all of it's memories." Naruto smiled, proud at his achievement.

"Really? No wonder you managed to pick you kenjutsu so fast."

"Actually, that was all me, Tenten forbid me from using shadow clones. She can be a harsh teacher at times." he laughed as the two wound up at Ichiraku.

"You wanna get some ramen, Sakura?" Naruto asked nervously, showing his biggest grin yet.

"Hmmm, why not, but your paying." Sakura giggled as the two entered the eatery.

Pounds and grunts were heard as bokken met training dummy.

It was past 11 and the sweat shone of Naruto's brow as he swung the wooden sword at the dummy again.

He was in team 7's training field, destroying one of the training dummies Tenten had lent him to practise on.

"Just a few more hits. Come on Naruto." he muttered between swings.

He continuously circled the dummy whilst laying blow upon blow on the poor wooden thing, changing direction unpredictably.

He finally tired himself out and put his all into the last swing.

Crunch!

Splinters went everywhere as the dummies' head broke off and rolled along the floor as Naruto collapsed against what was left of it, panting heavily.

A dark figure had been watching Naruto for sometime now, examining him from the trees, picking up any information he could on his subject.

Naruto grabbed his bottle of water and downed the last of it in one big gulp, predictably getting most of it on his top.

The figure watched for a few more moments as Naruto slowly made his way to his feet again.

Gathering up his gear, Naruto began heading back when he turned suddenly and looked directly at the figure in the trees, his red eyes glaring at them.

Barely a few seconds past before the figure disappeared as a small amount of sand drifted through the branches into the air.

"Just try it…" Naruto muttered to himself and whomever might be listening in.

Safe to say he didn't sense the figure at all on his way home.

Silence greeted the genin as they stood around the chain-linked fence, staring into the darkest forest they'd ever seen.

A black figure descended from a tree just inside the compound.

Anko landed and stood proudly in front of them.

"Glad you could all make it. Welcome to hell; my test, the forest of death!

You'll be lucky if you make it out of here alive, let alone intact." She smirked.

The teams that passed the first test gazed at the looming forest, they could barely see past the few giant, dark trees.

A grass ninja chuckled lightly before looking up at the forest with his slitted eyes.

"Alright people, line up and these!" Anko called out, holding up a small stack of papers.

Naruto looked annoyed.

"More paperwork? I thought we'd finished all that with the guy in the coat!" Naruto yelled, annoyed at the sight of paper again.

"These aren't tests baka, you need to sign these to participate in this test." Anko replied with an annoyed tone.

"Why? We already gave in our consent forms." Ino's voice called out from the crowd.

Anko giggled darkly.

"This is called the forest of death, people die in this test…" Her eyes narrowed. "…if you don't sign these consent forms…I have responsibility of you." she ended with a Naruto-like smile, carefree.

Some genin shivered as she began passing out the papers.

"This is the ultimate survival test." Anko declared. "In the centre of this arena is your destination."

'Seems easy enough.' Sakura thought.

"To enter the tower and pass, however, you need two scrolls; heaven and earth." Anko smirked, "When you start this test half of you will get the heaven and the other half, earth, how you get the other is up to you."

'That will at least half the amount of people!' Sakura thought.

"You have a total of 5 days to find and take another team's scroll…" Anko began.

"5 days? What about dinner?" Chōji called out, he couldn't live without food, well, more so than others.

"This forest is full of food. You have your pick of bugs, fruit and if your lucky, fish. Just make sure you don't eat any of the poisonous things."

Chōji was horror stuck.

"Now, as for what you'll be disqualified for: one, not making it to the tower with both scrolls. Two, losing a team mate either by separation or death if you make it to the tower. Three, no one can quit in the middle, you are here for 5 days, if you can't survive that long, you'll die. The final rule is that no matter what, you must not look inside the scrolls." Anko finished.

"Why? What would happen?" Naruto asked.

"Those unlucky few will find out for themselves. Chūnin are expected to deliver secret messages, this is to test how trustworthy you are." Anko replied. "Now hand your signed forms in at the desk and we'll begin."

Slowly, genin began to turn their forms in after signing them. They entered a small hut with a curtain for a wall with wood on the other 3 sides.

'Hmmm, that's so we can't tell who gets what or who's carrying it.' Naruto thought as he instantly signed his forms. He turned to see Sakura and Sasuke struggling with the decision.

"What's wrong? I thought you were ready for this baka." Naruto teased at Sasuke.

"I am dobe, I'm just…trying to find the weakest teams." he replied, covering his own hesitance up.

Naruto smiled, Sasuke was scared and he wasn't, that felt good.

"What about you Sakura?" Naruto asked.

The pink haired kunoichi just kept staring at her sheets.

"Hey, Sakura are you okay?" Naruto asked again, shaking her shoulder slightly.

As soon as he touched her, she jumped back, kunai raised.

"Woah Sakura, what's up?" Naruto had never seen her this on edge,

Sakura looked Naruto in his eyes and calmed down, re-holstering her kunai.

"Sorry Naruto, I was just thinking." She replied quietly, looking down at the ground.

"You trying to think if we'll survive or not?" Sasuke asked from his spot on the ground.

"…yea." She spoke softly again.

A loud voice snapped her out of it.

"Don't worry Sakura! You have me on your team, there's no way we can lose." Naruto grinned before glancing at Sasuke. "He might be of some use too I guess."

To say Sasuke was irked was an understatement.

"I'm stronger than you now dobe, I could finish this test all by myself!" He shot back.

"Oh yea?" Naruto replied.

"Yea!" Sasuke smirked himself.

"Good, you really might be of some use then." Naruto smiled cheekily, putting his hands behind his head again as Sasuke furiously signed his forms.

Sakura giggled at the two boys display as it reignited her confidence and signed her own forms as the trio made their way over to the tent.

They re-emerged, their heaven scroll hidden in Sasuke's pack walking to entrance 12 into the forest.

Many thoughts ran through everyone's heads in the excitement, the calm before the storm.

Anko's booming voice then came over a PA system around the edge of the forest, breaking said silence.

"The second test of the chūnin exams begins…now!"

The gates sprung open as the teams sprinted into the forest to begin planning and battling.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura took to the tall tree tops as fast as they could. They had a longer range of vision and less likely to be attacked from above.

Team 7 travelled in triangle formation. Naruto at the front and Sasuke and Sakura at the back left and right respectively.

"Naruto, what's our plan?" Sakura asked after a good 20 minutes of travel.

This stunned both Naruto and Sasuke.

Sakura was asking for orders from the dead last.

Naruto landed on a branch and turned back to Sakura who landed next to him with Sasuke on the other side.

"Why are you asking the dobe for plans? He couldn't plan how to catch Tora let alone enemy ninja." Sasuke brooded, crossing his arms and turning his back.

"Erm…well actually I kinda have a plan." Naruto admitted.

Sakura wore a determined look while Sasuke's was one of surprise.

"Go on Naruto." Sakura said.

"Well to my knowledge of our abilities…" Naruto began as his ears pricked up. Sasuke heard it too as he swept Sakura off her feet while he and Naruto jumped away as a hail of senbon hit the branch they were on.

"Ooh, so close." An eerie voice called out from the leaves when Team 7 landed on the ground.

Sasuke released Sakura as Naruto drew his sword and Sakura, her kunai.

"My, my. They sure look scrappy." A different male voice called out.

"Yes, but they look as weak, just as well, they probably are." Came a third voice, female this time.

"Whose there?" Sasuke shouted to the forest, only getting chuckles in return.

"Isn't he a little eager to die." The female voice called out again.

Leaves shifted as three rain ninja stood in front of them.

The two males had matching grey gas masks and had covered their hair with their headbands, similar to Sakura with their black hair poking through. They looked like twins.

The female of the group stood in the centre, with long flowing dark green hair matched her dark eyes. The group wore dark brown uniforms matching with the girl's being more revealing than her team mates. They looked around 15-16 Naruto guessed.

"Hand over the scroll and we might not kill you." She smirked, holding out her hand.

Sasuke scoffed, his sharingan blazing,

"Like we'd do that!" He shouted back.

"Last chance kid. If not, I'll have to set these two on you." The girl gestured to her two partners, each readied a weapon; a blue bastard sword for the left and a whip for the right.

Naruto put his hands together.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he yelled out as a hundred clones block him and his team from view.

The girl just laughed.

"Take them." She smirked evilly as the twins set to work, destroying clone by clone as the Narutos blocked with their swords as often as they could.

Every Naruto clone was turned to smoke revealing Sasuke standing in front of Sakura, flashing through hands signs.

"Fire style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He yelled, shooting several small but powerful fireballs from his mouth.

They flew wildly at the rain ninja but all were either blocked or dodged by them.

Sasuke finished the jutsu and smirked.

The girl noticed before a shadow loomed over her.

She wheeled around and blocked Naruto's downward slash with a small dagger taken from her hip.

Blocking wasn't good enough as the amount of power behind Naruto's attack pushed her back and off her feet, rolling next to her two team mates.

The twins quickly helped her up as Naruto and Sasuke both pressed forward on the attack, kunai and short sword raised.

The girl quickly flashed through her own hand signs as the twins blocked their attacks.

"Acid Rain Jutsu!" She called out, her two team mates took the hint and jumped away into the trees as she jumped high into the air, breathing out a torrent of water.

Naruto and Sasuke both got caught in the rush as the rain melted their clothes before two small puffs of smoke and logs replaced them.

The girl landed on a branch before eyeing the pink haired kunoichi, staring directly at her.

Naruto's sword clashed with a much bigger one as he and one of the twins clashed high in the branches.

"Just give it up kid, your no match for us." The rain nin laughed as Naruto's sword began getting colder and freezing at the point of contact between them.

"Not a chance." Naruto replied, forming 6 more clones.

The rain ninja shot towards them, slashing two clean in half as another two jumped up, throwing slashes down at him.

He raised his sword and blocked them, pushing back and throwing them off the branch below where they disappeared in smoke.

Naruto gave his clone a leg up as he threw him high into the air over the ninja as they went for high and low slashes to end the fight.

The rain nin went for the Naruto on the ground, perceiving him to be the real one. Kill the real, you kill the clone.

He was right.

"I got you now!" He shouted, thrusting his sword between Naruto's guard.

It pierced Naruto's arm and went straight into his heart as he smirked.

A small puff of smoke revealed him to be the clone as Naruto's sword sliced clean through his right forearm. Blood splashed out covering the branch and both parties clothes.

The rain ninja cried out in pain as he saw his arm fall to the ground below as Naruto kicked his legs out from under him.

He fell hard and due to the weight difference on one side, he fell towards the ground below too.

Naruto turned and looked up at the sky through the canopy as he heard a sickening crunch.

It was now 3 on 2.

Sasuke cried out as the whip latched onto his left arm, sending electricity straight through his body.

"Had enough?" The rain ninja laughed maniacally as he increased the flow of electricity.

"…N…Never!" Sasuke's confident reply came, as he grabbed and pulled the whip.

The rain ninja resisted as the two began a tug of war, each trying to out match the other in strength.

Sasuke suddenly sprinted forward. Taking the enemy by surprise, he smashed his right leg into his chest. The ninja released his grip on the whip, flying backwards and hitting the tree before clutching his torso.

"You little shit…" He choked out as he tried to regain his breath.

Sasuke quickly rid his arm of the whip and dropped it to the ground below.

The rain ninja caught his breath and flashed through some handsigns.

"Water Style: Water Pulse Jutsu!" He called out as a huge ball of water burst from his mouth, hitting Sasuke square on. It carried him inside till he hit a tree himself.

Gasping for breath, Sasuke recomposed himself, looking around hurriedly for his enemy. His sharingan finding nothing.

"Behind you…" An eerie voice spoke as Sasuke wheeled around. "Lightning style: 1000V Fist!"

Sasuke jumped back to dodge the blow but the fist repeatedly tried to connect with him. Sasuke backed against a tree as the rain nin prepared his final blow.

"Game over." he smirked and threw his fist forward.

Sasuke chuckled as he tilted his head to the left, dodging the blow and releasing a bright light from behind his head.

The rain ninja was blinded as he pulled his arms up to block his vision.

Big mistake.

Sasuke delivered a strong uppercut to his opponent, sending him flying back, landing heavily on the ground.

The flash tag burned itself out as Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief.

"Looks like it's just me and you girlie." The green haired woman smirked, gazing down at Sakura through the branches.

"All the easier for me!" Sakura called back, her hands not wavering on her kunai.

The green haired girl jumped down to the ground, flipping her hair back as she landed.

"You haven't made a single move since we began. It looks like all your good at is taking up space." She insulted.

Sakura frowned harder at this before throwing her kunai at the woman.

She simply sidestepped as it past her, lodging itself in the tree behind her.

"You can't even throw a kunai properly." The girl giggled as Sakura looked taken aback.

"Who said I was aiming for you?" She smirked.

Reacting without thinking, the girl jumped away as an explosion engulfed the tree, burning it to cinders.

'Genjustu?' she thought, glancing back to Sakura.

Sakura however was gone, leaving the girl alone in the clearing.

"Alright, where have you gone pinkey?" She called out, looking around for any trace of her.

A rustling of leaves in the bushes left of her told the rain nin everything.

Tightening her grip on the dagger, she jumped straight into the bush, stabbing deep into flesh as blood hit her skin.

"Haha, thought you could outsmart me?" She shouted as she turned the girl over, revealing one of her team mates faces on her body.

She'd killed him.

Wheeling around, redoubled her efforts, looking for any hint of colour or movement.

"You bitch! I'll kill you!" She shouted out as a hand grabbed her ankle.

She looked down and saw he dead team mate, back in his uniform, whip wrapped around his throat, grabbing at her ankle with a dead look on his face and skin as pale as the moon.

She screamed as she kicked his hands away, backing up until she hit something.

Turning around, she saw her other team mate, his own sword through his chest as he grabbed her arms, holding her in place as the other one crawled forward to grab her ankles again.

"No, No! What are you doing? Let go of me!" She screamed, trying to wriggle free anyway she could as all three began sinking into the ground, a black vortex swallowing them up.

Naruto and Sasuke hurried back to Sakura as fast as they could. They had been divided, but were not conquered.

Naruto arrived on the scene to see a Sakura rooting through the pockets of the female ninja. She was out cold.

"Sakura? You okay?" He huffed as he approached his team mate.

"Yea I'm fine Naruto, nothing I couldn't handle." She smirked as her hand found the thing she was looking for.

"Aha!" She said, pulling her hand free of her opponents pouch and lifting her prize to the sky to reveal a heaven scroll.

The scene was so quiet you could hear a senbon drop. Sakura and Naruto began regain movement as Sakura yelled out.

"All this for a heaven scroll?"

Naruto just sweat dropped. If that didn't bring more ninja running, nothing would.

"Come on Sakura, just take it and let's go find Sasuke." Naruto quickly said. A flash of blue later and Sasuke stood next to him.

"No need dobe." he spoke coolly. "So we still need an earth scroll yea?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"Yea, we can't stay here though, she'll wake up soon." Sakura shot a look back at the unconscious body of the rain nin.

"Mine too," Sasuke said, jabbing his thumb back where he came from.

Naruto just stayed quiet before the two looked at him expecting the same response. He decided he may as well just come out with it.

"Mine won't."

Sakura gasped as Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Naruto…you didn't…?" Sakura asked shakily.

"…No…" Naruto replied. "…But I didn't stop it either."

Sakura looked a little relieved but still, her team mate had caused the death of another ninja.

"So what happened?" Sasuke asked with a little new respect for Naruto.

"He lost an arm to my blade and fell…" Naruto replied quietly, his arms shaking a little. "…I had to search him too…for the scroll, you know."

Sakura embraced Naruto.

"It's okay, you won Naruto, at least your alive." She whispered into his ear.

Naruto gave her a half hearted hug back as he nodded at Sasuke for them to continue.

They turned and jumped into the trees. Naruto patted his pouch to make sure his sealing scroll was still there, containing his enemy's blade as a trophy.

A/N: Okay, I'm gonna settle with this for now. I know it contained a lot of boring stuff that is a little canon but it had to be done. I don't like skipping scenes. I didn't want to end this chapter here but I decided to post the 1st ½ of this exam now or you would have to wait a long time for it up to the preliminaries. As you all probably know, exam season is on us and I have to revise. I have 4 tests over the next 2 weeks so don't expect a chapter between now and then. Come ½ term, I'll try to post another long chappy but no promises.

Anyway, review people, double cookies for anyone who reviews all chapters :D Keep voting on the poll on my profile, only half the amount of people have voted than on the last one.

Happy weekend peoples.

Ja Ne


	8. Chapter 8

**The New Naruto**

Thanks for everyone who has voted on the poll so far, surprising amount of votes for certain people. 100 reviews, WOO.

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

*Cough* - Actions in speech, mainly for Hayate's sake

**Chapter 8 - Snakes and Scrolls**

Time passed slowly in the forest.

Minutes seemed to get longer as the day progressed. It was already past noon yet Team 7 hadn't seen another team since the past incident. Luckily, this gave them time to recover from their last encounter, both physically and mentally.

Sakura glanced at Naruto as they travelled, an emotionless expression on his face.

'Naruto…' She thought as she remembered his story.

Sasuke led the trio as they arrived at a small stream.

The group took a few moments to rest and refresh before setting out again.

Naruto took off his sandals and dipped his feet into the water as he lay back on a rock. He closed his ears, keeping his ears open just to relax and reflect.

"…**If it's any consolation…it was you or him…**" The Kyuubi spoke up, trying to comfort his young container.

Naruto, however, remained silent trying to relax and forget about his first kill.

He thought back to when he fought Zabuza and Haku. Haku herself had made her first kill when she took out Gato. She had intended to kill him while Naruto had merely led the ninja to his death.

Sasuke was checking over his gear as he kept an eye on Naruto. He'd made his first kill before him yet he didn't show any emotion…just like Zabuza.

Sakura was taking a drink from her container before refilling it in the stream. She quickly checked over her gear, drawing a kunai and holding it to her face, twisting the blade over, examining it's razor edge.

'Every time I've held one of these…I could have used it to kill someone…' She thought as she touched the tip to her finger, a tiny drop of blood hit the kunai before she pocketed it again. She looked over at Naruto whose eyes were still closed, deep in thought.

'When I take my first life I need to be as strong as Naruto…'

Naruto's ears suddenly twitched.

Someone was close.

* * *

Chōji had already polished off his water supply a few hours into the exam.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered as he led his team through the trees, listening for a water source.

Shikamaru heard running water to his left as his team adjusted and headed in the direction of the source.

A small stream ran through the forest as the group landed. Chōji dived head first at the edge of the bank, his head underwater, swallowing huge gulps.

"Chōji! Show some manners. You are in the presence of a lady you know." Ino piped up as she massaged her feet.

Chōji couldn't hear, he still hadn't finished his drink. Niether of his team mates worried, he was always like this.

"All right Chōji, that's enough." Shikamaru said, pulling Chōji's scarf back, making his head rise from the water.

"There's plenty left Shikamaru. What are ya worried about?" Chōji replied, turning around before crossing his legs.

"I don't want to stay in one place too long. It gives the enemy time to plan as well as set up traps."

"It's fine Shikamaru, we'll set off again soon okay?" Ino replied with a smile as she slipped back into her sandals.

Shikamaru just patted his back pouch, reassuring himself both scrolls were in place.

* * *

Naruto put his sandals back on as Sasuke and Sakura stood waiting for him.

He blinked and his eyes became blood red, he quickly looked around, scanning the area around them.

He saw nothing.

The three ninjas got a running start before they jumped back into the trees.

Naruto could feel the chakra signature following them. Whichever way he led his team, the signature would always follow.

Deciding enough was enough, Naruto led the signatures to a clear-ish space, with a few trees for protection.

The team stopped in the middle.

"What wrong?" Sakura asked, confused.

Naruto just closed his eyes and opened them, bringing back his fierce red ones he had grown fond of.

"Some ones following us…" he muttered to his team and he strained his eyes, looking and feeling for any hint of the pursuers.

As soon as he tried looking and feeling, the signature had vanished.

They weren't anywhere.

Sakura took immediate action, searching as hard as Naruto. Her ears tuned to pick up any noise.

Sasuke reactivated his sharingan, taking a battle position and drawing a kunai from his pouch.

"You better be right…Naruto." He muttered back to his comrade.

Normally Naruto would have jumped at Sasuke's sign of respect for him, but he had bigger things to worry about.

The earth trembled slightly.

The trio looked at each other before jumping backwards as a giant snake emerged from the ground, snapping its jaws shut around the earth they were just standing on.

A lone female grass ninja stood on top of the snake with a straw hat over her long black hair and a thick purple rope around her waist.

She giggled darkly,

"Well, well, looks like I've found my prize."

Naruto drew his sword in a reverse grip, preparing his hands for the shadow clones jutsu.

"Oh no, we can't have you using jutsu…" The grass ninja smirked before unleashing a torrent of killer intent at the trio.

The three froze in fear.

* * *

The fox stirred within Naruto, sensing the danger to his vessel.

Seeing through Naruto's eyes, he saw just who was causing his warden to lock up.

* * *

Killer intent radiated out of Naruto, cancelling out the grass ninjas while making her quiver a little.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura gasped heavily as the weight was lifted off them.

'...I owe you one…' Naruto thought quickly to thank the kyuubi.

"**You can repay me by killing him!**" The fox roared back in response.

'Him...?' Naruto replied.

"So, it seems I have stumbled onto the location of a precious possession of Konoha." The grass ninja sneered, throwing her hat aside to the muddy grass below.

Sasuke and Sakura were confused as to what she was referring too, Sasuke thinking it was him while Sakura had no clue.

"Sasuke, Sakura…be careful…" Naruto warned, retightening his grip on his blade.

"I do not have the time for your childish games," The grass nin smiled, "I'll just take what I want and be on my way…"

Sasuke tapped his pouch, making sure his heaven scroll was still in place while Naruto could feel his in his kunai pouch.

The grass ninja flicked her hand as the snake she was on reared up, opening its mouth.

Naruto felt a tug at the back of his neck as his feet left the ground.

Sasuke was sprinting as fast as he could up the nearest tree, clutching Naruto's collar.

Sakura was ahead of the duo as the snake stuck, clamping it's jaw around Naruto and Sasuke's position on the tree.

Sakura heard the crunching noise and glanced back, seeing the snake's jaw lodged into the trunk.

A sword poked through the side of the snake's mouth as Naruto cut his way through with Sasuke behind him.

The snake was still firmly stuck in the tree, its fangs planted deep into the bark.

Sakura breathed a small sigh of relief as Naruto and Sasuke caught up, running to the top branches.

The grass ninja looked at the trapped snake before shaking her head in disapproval.

Naruto peered over the edge of the branch they were on and saw the ninja below transform her lower half similar to a snakes and wound her way up the tree.

"Get back." Naruto called to his team mates as they hopped to the other end of the branch as the grass ninja reached their position, her long, slimy tongue hanging out like a snake's.

Sasuke flew through his hand signs.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" He called out, a large ball of fire engulfing the grass ninja.

Naruto charged at the flame, thrusting his sword directly in the centre were the grass ninja was last and felt a slight resistance.

Sasuke ended the jutsu as soon as Naruto thrust his sword to reveal the girl, impaled on Naruto's sword through the stomach, begin to cry brown tears before the whole body began to turn to a muddy brown colour.

'Earth Clone!' Naruto thought quickly.

The snake below was swinging it's tail against the tree, trying to pry itself off or take down the tree trying.

The branch shook a little every time the snake hit it.

A scream was heard behind Sasuke as he and Naruto turned to see the grass ninja holding a hand over Sakura's mouth and a kunai to he neck.

"One more move from you and you'll be losing a team mate." She giggled darkly.

Sasuke glared at Orochimaru, never taking his eyes off him while Naruto redoubled the grip on his blade.

Sakura was almost in tears, she had a kunai to her neck and her life could be extinguished at any moment, what had she achieved in life…?

"Now, if you'll kindly step forward and give me your…scroll, we can end this right now." The girl said.

"Just do what she

Sasuke wrestled with himself inside but slowly remove the scroll from his pouch and, one step at a time, made his way over to the grass ninja before setting it a few feet from her and Sakura.

'Dammit! Think of something! If I can do something I have to do it now!' he thought as he stood up right.

The grass ninja smiled, baring her…fangs?

"Now for my pri…" She began.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu success!" A voice called from behind the a tree.

Shikamaru, Chōji and Ino stood on a branch close to this tree.

Shikamaru carefully manipulated the grass ninja movements, slowly removing her hand from Sakura's mouth and the kunai from her neck.

As soon as she was free, Sakura jumped behind her team mates, shaking from the fear.

"Chōji!" Shikamaru called as Chōji jumped onto the branch Team 7 was one.

"Expansion Jutsu!" He shouted as his right arm and hand grew to giant proportions.

"What trickery is this?" The grass ninja started before Chōji's hand grabbed her, squeezing her tight and throwing her below, hitting the snake in the head, creating a cloud of dust as they hit the floor. The snake was now dislodged from the tree missing 3 of its four fangs, only the top left remained.

Ino jumped over and put her arm round Sakura who was still shivering.

Shikamaru joined the group after releasing his jutsu as the enemy fell.

"Seems you guys just can't stay out of trouble can you." he muttered, walking over and picking up the heaven scroll that had gotten stuck between a fork in the branch.

"It wasn't our fault, she found us!" Sasuke retorted.

"I…If it wasn't for N…Naruto, we would have been swallowed straight from the…the start." Sakura spoke up, Ino hugged her a little tighter and glanced up to really admire Naruto, he looked hot holding that sword with his smouldering look.

Shikamaru handed the scroll back to Sasuke.

"Naruto? Really?" He questioned.

"Does it matter? We have to leave, now!" Naruto said with an air of seriousness."Relax Naruto," Ino spoke up, "Chōji took care of that bitch, she should be out cold for…"

"HE won't be!" Naruto cut in.

"He?" Sasuke asked, glancing down at the dust cloud.

"Yea, it's not a grass ninja its…" Naruto began explaining.

A shadow was cast over the group. A slimy, red…thing travelled either side of the branch, a single fang passing them by.

'Kuso!' Naruto thought as the jaws of the snake snapped shut, swallowing the six genin, and a branch, whole.

* * *

It was sticky, wet and it hurt like hell.

Team 7 and Team 10 were inside the belly of a giant snake. There was barely enough room to breath let alone move around.

The snake's digestive juices had already enveloped the genin and stung their skin.

Naruto could hear Ino screaming, probably due to the pain and sheer grossness of the experience.

A foot hit Naruto's own. He turned his head, straining against the small amount of space he had to see Shikamaru's own with a hard look.

"Still…got…your sword?" He huffed, trying to keep as much air in as possible.

Everyone felt the snake slither over a high log as Naruto slipped lower in it's stomach. His sword was long gone, he'd dropped it the moment the snake ate him due to the pressure and it was most likely further down in it's stomach.

'I got summin better than that though…' He thought.

* * *

The grass genin stood proudly on top of the snake, having captured an Uchiha and 5 other test subjects.

He chuckled.

'Tomorrow's going to be fun.' He thought.

The snake slid over the small stream before hissing in pain. It's lower back scrunching up to try and ease it.

"What's going on?" The grass ninja hissed before the snake felt another pang of pain, thrashing around wildly.

The grass ninja jumped free and landed on the water as the snake curled itself round several trees, hissing louder.

"Stupid serpent…" She began before a small part of the underbelly was sliced through with 4 menacing red claws.

A bloody Naruto emerged, breathing fresh air like it would run out before he performed the shadow clone jutsu, his clones forming a chain before diving back into the snake for his friends.

The grass ninja watched in bewilderment as Naruto brought his friends out of one of his strongest snakes stomach alive.

Ino emerged last, gasping for air and clutching onto Naruto for dear life.

The genin quickly tried to brush as much of the slime off as they could.

"Urh, now that was an experience." Shikamaru complained.

Naruto dispelled his clones as they turned their attention back to the threat at hand.

"Guys, we can't win this battle…" Naruto whispered to his friends as some of them looked a little unnerved.

"What? Why not?" Sasuke questioned, annoyed at admitting defeat to a single grass ninja.

"That's Orochimaru's new apprentice." Shikamaru stated coolly.

Ino, Sakura and Chōji flinched, they'd heard tales about the sannin but had never seen one, but an apprentice of the one who defected from the village was standing in front of them.

"Close Shikamaru." Naruto swallowed, "Its Orochimaru himself…"

Everyone flinched as Orochimaru allowed the conversation to continue, wondered himself how the demon fox's jailor figured it out.

"There's no way we can fight a sannin and win." Naruto admitted, even with the fox's help he probably couldn't kill him.

"Ssssmart decision." Orochimaru called out, his eyes now focused on Naruto's own.

"**What are you thinking brat!**" The fox roared, enraged by his vessels refusal to kill one he hated so much.

'Even with all of us, we won't be able to match up to him, he has years of knowledge and jutsu you told me so how could we…' Naruto trailed off inside his head before a yell came from the real world.

"Team 10! Formation 4!" Shikamaru called out as he flashed through hand signs.

Chōji reacted immediately, running to the left and jumping over the stream.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Distraction!" Shikamaru called out, completing his hand signs.

The two reacted immediately, Naruto summoned 500 clones along their side of the bank while Sasuke flashed through hands signs.

Orochimaru smirked, his face still that of the female grass ninjas he stole between exams, keeping an eye on as much of the action as he could.

The Naruto clones paired up and threw each other at the snake sannin. Sasuke jumped high into the air, spouting off several balls of fire, crying out.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Several of the fireballs collided with the Naruto clones mid flight, creating a small but effective smoke screen as the Naruo clones that the jutsu missed dived into the smoke.

Many flew through the smoke but as it cleared it revealed Orochimaru held in place by 15 Naruto clones and Shikamaru's shadow, dragging him into the water.

"Shadow possession success!" He called out. "Now Chōji!"

"Expansion Jutsu!" Chōji called out as he leapt back over the river, behind orochimaru, his hands growing to epic proportions.

The sannin looked shocked as he struggled to free himself.

Chōji put his hands together in a big fist before slamming them down on Orochimaru's head, dispelling the Naruto clones and forcing the sannin's head to crack against the rocks beneath the shallow stream.

Chōji landed next to Shikamaru as his shadow returned to him.

"Naruto, Sasuke, quickly." Shikamaru beckoned as the 6 jumped away into the trees.

Behind them Orochimaru's corpse rose to the top of the water, before turning a deep brown shade.

* * *

The two genin teams jumped as far and fast as they could through the trees, looking for the tower to report their skirmish to the more advanced ninja.

A soft hissing sent chills down the genin's backs.

A hand flew out from a trunk on the tree as Ino landed, grabbing her wrist and locking it behind her back.

"Ino!" Chōji called out before another pair of hands restrained him. Pushing his face into the branch, holding his hands behind his back.

More hands appeared as the remaining genin avoided them, slashing at them with kunai and landing on a safe branch.

The hands became arms and arms became shoulders as several brown Orochimaru clones stepped out of the genjutsu they were hidden under, regaining their colour as they did.

"It seems you are out of ideas." The same voice the now feared to hear spoke up.

Orochimaru stood behind them, sandwiching their branch between his and his clones.

"Only four left. Now how to dispose of you…" he giggled, his girlish face still in place.

Sakura hid behind Naruto.

"What do you want?" Shikamaru shouted. In all their years of friendship, Naruto had never seen Shikamaru look this desperate.

The Orochimaru girl giggled again.

"Just something I've had my…eyes on for a long time." She replied calmly.

The air shimmered and waved like on a hot day. The 4 remaining genin had disappeared.

"What?" Orochimaru stood shocked.

The two clones of him as well as their captives disappeared too.

He then felt pain in his stomach as a kunai lodged itself in it. He looked down and saw a smirking Sasuke try to plant another in his heart with his other hand.

Orochimaru used his strength to block the blow but Sasuke's momentum brought his left foot into his gut, knocking him off balance.

"Now I've got you!" Orochimaru laughed as his free hand grabbed Sasuke's shirt and pulled him down with him as the two tumbled off the branch.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out as she released her "hidden in plain sight" genjutsu.

Shikamaru and Naruto were too busy finishing off the earth clones of Orochimaru as the pair tumbled below through the canopy of smaller trees.

Naruto slashed and dug a kunai into his clones brain before it returned to its earthly state.

Ino was gasping in shock as Naruto jumped passed her into the canopy after his team mate, holding a sealing scroll in his hand.

* * *

"Gah!" Sasuke shouted as he landed on top of Orochimaru before he released his grip and rolled away.

Orochimaru's body had landed on some rough rocks but his head missed them.

Sasuke looked up as he lay on the grass to see Orochimaru gasp for air as his mouth unhinged and opened wide.

A finger, a hand, two hands, a head. All these things came out of his mouth as a full copy of Orochimaru stood up covered in a little slime.

"Now it's just us, eh Sasuke." He laughed, his real snake like face revealed.

Sasuke tried to gather as much breath as he could, trying to struggle to his feet.

Orochimaru's head extended out from his neck, sinking his fangs into Sasuke's shoulder.

Sasuke cried out as the weird curse mark of heaven formed on the back of his neck.

A dark blue sword swung down through the trees, barely missing Orochimaru's retracting head as it slammed into the ground, Naruto holding the end of it.

Sasuke clutched his neck, his eyes losing their sharingan and closing before he collapsed in pain.

Naruto stood over his team mate before Orochimaru smirked.

"Too late brat, he's as good as mine."

"You're not taking Sasuke!" Naruto shouted back, raising the blue bastard sword with some difficulty to face his opponent.

"Oh not now…but he'll soon seek my power…" Orochimaru replied as his body began to burn slowly. As his torso disappeared, the pouch containing his scroll disappeared, leaving an earth scroll to drop to the ground.

"A small gift for your…effort." He chuckled as the flames consumed his head.

Naruto felt the signature disappear as soon as the last flame burned out.

He bent down, letting the sword clatter to the ground as he gasped for breath on all fours.

* * *

"Naruto!" Sakura called out as she and Team 10 combed the forest below.

"He's over here!" Ino called out as everyone hurried over to her.

Naruto was laying on his back, gasping for breath with his eyes closed as Sasuke's breathing was slow, his hand still clutching his neck.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura cried out, running over to her team mates.

"He…help Sasuke…" Naruto breathed out between gasps.

Sakura quickly switched her full attention to Sasuke and looked him over for injuries.

"Naruto, what happened? Is he gone?" Shikamaru asked, sticking particularly close to his two team mates, as though he didn't want to be apart from them.

Naruto quickly regained as much breath as he could before rising to his knees.

"That freak took a bite out of Sasuke…He did something to him." Naruto replied, glancing over at Sasuke. "Then he vanished in fire."

"We have to get to the tower now and report this to the Hokage." Shikamaru said sternly.

His foot kicked something. He looked down to see the scroll Orochimaru had left behind. Shikamaru picked it up.

"Dropped it?" he asked, examining it carefully incase it was trapped.

Ino helped Naruto to his feet.

"He said it was a gift, for our efforts." Naruto replied again.

Shikamaru, deeming it was safe, chucked it over to Naruto.

"You don't want it?" Naruto asked, confused.

"We already got ours." Shikamaru replied.

"Yea, we took out some Iwa ninja when they tried to get the drop on us." Chōji said proudly before walking over to Sasuke and picking him up, bridal style.

Ino spotted the sword and bent down to pick it up.

"This yours Naruto?" She asked, amazed he could wield such a thing.

"No, that's from a rain ninja I…defeated." Naruto admitted. "I was just using it in place of my short sword. Tenten's gonna be pissed I lost that."

Shikamaru winced, he remembered when he'd broken a new kunai by throwing it wrong at a training dummy. The lecture he received from her was long and loud.

"More power to you Naruto." Shikamaru consoled him as Naruto resealed the sword. "Ready Chōji?"

Chōji had Sasuke in a piggy back position, the out cold Uchiha still out cold.

The ordeal with Orochimaru was over, the group took off, aiming for the tower.

* * *

Darkness crept in as the two teams spotted the tower looming in front of them.

"Just a short way to go!" Shikamaru called to the group as he led the way.

Chōji redoubled his grip on Sasuke.

The group was now barely 100 yards away from the tower when several black figures jumped out ahead of them, one of them carrying a person wearing a beige coat.

"Hey, isn't that…" Shikamaru trailed off as two of the figures broke off from the pack and intercepted them.

The figures quickly identified the group as leaf shin obi as they ran each side of the group.

"What's wrong with this one?" The figure on the left asked.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to reply but Naruto beat him to it with one word.

"Orochimaru."

That was enough to satisfy the ANBU as they escorted them into the tower.

* * *

The sound team watched from the trees as their mission from their leader was put beyond their reach.

"Why did he even assign us if we didn't get a chance to kill him?" The girl asked.

"I don't know…" The guy with fur on his back replied.

"Hey look, another team is coming, may as well reduce the competition." The other team member finished before they ambushed the approaching sand team, leaving their small collection of scrolls safe in the tree.

* * *

Sasuke was immediately checked out by the medical teams as they arrived in the tower, whisking him away.

'Probably to a boring hospital.' Naruto thought.

One of the two ANBU who escorted them the final hundred yards returned from the examination room and spoke.

"Your teams still have a mission to complete." He said before disappearing in a flash of smoke to report to the Hokage.

The remaining five looked at each other oddly before they took out their scrolls; Naruto's two heaven and one earth scroll and Shikamaru's single heaven and earth scroll.

"What do you suppose we do with them? Hand them in?" Ino asked.

"It might have something to do with that working on the wall we passed on the way in." Sakura replied.

"What writing?" Chōji asked checking his pockets for a snack.

Without any further delay, Sakura led the small group back into the first room, upon one of the walls there was a big paper with what seemed like instructions.

"If you lack heaven, seek wisdom, be prepared. Gain knowledge and prepare yourself for the missions. If you lack earth, run in the fields, seek advantages. If you have both heaven and earth, you can succeed in even the most dangerous mission. These rules will guide a person's extremes."

Naruto read the giant scroll with a little confusion.

"Don't we already have heaven and earth, we have more than enough heaven." he said.

"Key words: heaven, earth, and guide." Shikamaru spoke, taking the lip of the earth scroll in his hand. "I'm sure we're meant to do something with these and since no one seems to be here, I think we have to…open them!" he finished, yelling the last part as he unravelled the scroll in one swift movement.

Ino quickly followed suit and opened her scroll up, revealing nothing but a seal on both scrolls.

Naruto and Sakura watched eagerly as smoke began emitting from both scrolls.

Shikamaru just sighed and chucked it on the floor in front of him as Ino's heaven scroll soon followed.

A small explosion of smoke later, Asuma Sarutobi stood before the five, smoking a cigarette as usual.

"Hey guys." He greeted his team. "I must say I'm impressed, only one day to complete the exam.""Wouldda been faster sensei if the waterfall team didn't have so many water jutsu." Shikamaru replied sarcastically then turned serious. "Also Orochimaru was a bit of a problem…"

A puff of smoke appeared as Iruka appeared as Shikamaru finished his evaluation and Asuma's cigarette fell to the floor in shock.

"O…Orochimaru?" Iruka chocked out.

"Yea, he did something weird to Sasuke, that's why he isn't here." Naruto chipped in.

Asuma disappeared before anyone could say anymore.

"The hokage probably already knows by now." Shikamaru said, "ANBU met up with us on our way in."

Iruka was speechless.

His old students up against Orochimaru, a class "S" wanted nin.

"When did?…How did?…" Iruka began, tripping over his words.

The two teams took this opportunity to fill him in on the entire situation. Everyone chipped a bit of knowledge in till they had a very accurate recollection.

* * *

There was still four more days left in the exam and by the time the five some had finished their story, it was past midnight.

Asuma had come back and wanted a word in private while Iruka took Naruto and Sakura too the rooms they would be temporarily staying in before the last part of the exam.

"You two will be staying in here until the five days are up." Iruka told them as he opened the door into the small one room "apartment". It had all the essentials; beds, sink, fridge and what looked like a dining table with stone chairs in the corner.

"In here? You gotta be kidding!" Sakura complained, spotting the three un-comfy looking beds separated by a thing wall of stone.

Iruka just sighed as Naruto was more concerned with the life of their team mate than living arrangements.

'Just what the hell was that thing he injected Sasuke with…' Naruto pondered as he walked into the room and plopped himself down on the middle bed, laying down with his hands behind his head.

"…**A curse mark…**" A deep voice replied in his head.

'Curse mark?' Naruto thought back.

"**Similar to a kekkei genkai save for the fact it certain ones can be passed on.**" The fox spoke up, his rage from the snake sannin having left him and had calmed down.

The foxes knowledge of curse marks flowed into Naruto's mind, helping him understand the logic behind them. The fox didn't know much but he gave what he had to offer.

With all the information being processed in his mind, Naruto felt instantly tired and closed his eyes, drifting into dream land.

Outside Naruto's mind Sakura smiled as Naruto fell asleep in his clothing, not bothering to get under the covers or anything. She took to her own bed and deciding to follow Naruto's lead, dropped off without changing either.

* * *

The next few days past quickly for the genin.

More and more teams slowly finished the second exam. Hinata's team entered early on the second day as Naruto woke.

On his way to the bathroom, Naruto passed Gaara in the corridor. Neither spoke a word to each other but felt the raw killer intent rolling off each other, Naruto's only in defence.

Guy's team finally finished the exam on the third day as they snagged the room next to Team 7's. As predicted, Tenten berated Naruto for losing his sword and gave him a long speech. Even the kyuubi was determined not to let Naruto lose another sword. Her annoyed frown switched to a gleeful grin when Naruto gave her the sword he'd taken from the rain nin.

"I can't use something as heavy as this, besides, I thought you might like it." He smiled as he handed the cold blade over. Tenten just grew starry eyed at a foreign chakra blade and gave Naruto a big hug.

Needless to say, Tenten spent the rest of the day admiring her new weapon and testing it out.

Sasuke was released that day. He looked a little paler but acted his normal, cold self. Sakura was worried for him, he was still Sasuke but something just seemed…different…darker. Naruto managed to get a peek at Sasuke's curse mark. It was encircled by several words. He figured it was sealed and couldn't do anymore harm so he told Sakura not to worry.

* * *

The time had finally come.

Time was up and all successful teams had gathered in the main hall with a big statue of a pair of hands performing the hand seal for ram in reverse at the end.

Many jōnin and chūnin stood in front of the statue with the Hokage in the middle.

"Congratulations on passing!" Anko's voice called out to them over a loud speaker, filling the hall with her voice.

'24 genin still here? This bunch must either be talented or lucky…' Anko thought.

Naruto took this time to note even she seemed a bit pale. Did Orochimaru get her too?

"The Hokage will now explain the third test!" Anko called out over the loudspeaker.

"Thank you Anko." The Hokage smiled politely, "Before that, I'd like to inform you all about the true meaning of this exam."

There were a few mutterings from the genin but the Hokage continued.

"The true meaning for this exam, is for it to replace the war between the allied countries."

There were a few gasps between the genin as more mumbles broke out.

The Hokage raised his hand as they stopped immediately.

"Before your time, the nations would fight among each other to decide who would rule. In order to prevent this, the chūnin exams came to be."

Naruto was about to shout out why they had to know this when the fox parted some heaven to him.

"**Listen to the old man's words kit.**" he spoke softly as he caught his afternoon nap.

Naruto just grunted and returned his attention to the Hokage.

"Many of you countries leaders and influential people will be coming to watch your battles. They are our clients and they will pick a country for their missions based on their strength. Stronger countries receive more missions, sending a message to other nations, telling them "Our nation is strong!" The strength of a country is the strength of the village, the strength of the village is the strength of it's shinobi. A shinobi's true strength is born only through life-risking battle." The Hokage finished. "This is not just a test, but alife-risking battle with your dreams and your countries prestige on the line."

A few people looked uneasy with this new information but none backed down.

The hokage stepped back as a jōnin stepped forward.

"Before we begin the main event however, there is one more thing you have to do…" The jōnin began, coughing after the air left his lungs.

Several thoughts ran through Naruto's mind as well as others.

"My name is…*cough*…Hayate Gekko, I will be your preliminary referee."

* * *

A/N: Right, stopping there for this chappy, I know it's a bit shorter than the others but I wanted the preliminaries all in one big chappy :D so look foreward to half term even more people. 100 reviews! WOO, triple digits, that doesn't mean stop tho, keep reviewing, I swear, your cookies are in the post…honest…

People have asked me why you only got 2 votes for the poll, is so people who find say hinata their 3rd favourite don't get disappointed when she becomes top because shes everyones third fav or summin. Anyway that isn't a hint at whose at the top yet but I will reveal that there will be 3-4 people in the harem, I HAVE SPOKEN! The top 4 in the poll will be in the harem and I will end it…soon. Not suuuure exactly when but soon.

Ja Ne people, keep reading!

SZT


	9. Chapter 9

**The New Naruto**

Thanks for everyone who has voted on the poll so far, surprising amount of votes for certain people. 130+ reviews, WOO.

Also, the winners of the harm vote will be revealed at the end of this chappy in the authors note. If you wanna sneak a peek now, I won't tell anyone ;)

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

*Cough* - Actions in speech, mainly for Hayate's sake

* * *

**Chapter 9 - The Finalists**

Mumbles broke out among some of the genin.

"Allow me to explain," Hayate announced, "This year, we may have made the chūnin exams too easy hence why so many of you stand before us. As you know, many guests are coming to view the exams and we need the best of you to represent you villages."

Naruto smirked, everyone would be able to see him beat his opponent into the dust, the dead last no longer.

"Anyone who no longer wishes to compete after hearing this or does not feel up to the challenge may leave as we will begin shortly."

"What? Now?" Kiba shouted out.

"Yes," Hayate stated simply, "Anyone who does…*cough*…wish to leave can leave individually, you other team mates can still continue."

The room was silent for several moments as team mates glanced at each other.

A hand shot in the air.

"Erm…I'm going to quit."

Naruto turned to see the owner of the voice and saw the creepy leaf genin he met before the written exam.

"K…Kabuto-san…" The ninja behind him began.

"I'd err…also like to quit too." Another voice came with another hand.

It came from a tall, blonde waterfall ninja with his left arm and leg bandaged up with a few drops of red showing through.

"Very well, the chūnin will *cough* escort you out of the forest." Hayate announced as two pairs of chūnin stepped forward, leading them out of the hall.

As Kabuto left, he glanced back, the sunlight reflecting in his glasses as the sound jōnin standing among the others smirked.

"Now if there is no one else who wants to leave, we will begin the *cough* preliminaries." Hayate called out, taking out a clipboard.

"Urh!" Sasuke gripped his neck in pain

'_Come on! Not now!…'_ He thought as he gripped his neck, trying to numb out the pain.

"Sasuke…" Sakura began before Sasuke glared fiercely at her.

Naruto felt the killer intent from Sasuke behind him and nudged him in the ribs, no reaction.

Other people seemed to have noticed as all of team 8 next to them gave Sasuke weird looks: Kiba, one of confusion, Hinata, one of fear, and Shino a look of warning.

"Calm youself, Sasuke." Shino whispered.

Sasuke's pain and glare disappeared moments later as his gaze returned to the prompter.

* * *

The Hokage, Anko and Ibiki had noticed this little exchange and had been informed about Sasuke's predicament.

"Maybe we should remove him form the exam." Anko offered.

"That won't do…" A voice behind her muttered.

Anko turned to see none other than Kakashi Hatake, giving her one of his famous eye smiles.

"He's an Uchiha, and Uchiha don't quit even when things get bad."

"But what about the…" Anko began.

"It is already sealed and taken care of." Kakashi cut in, satisfying her incomplete question.

"That settles it then." The Hokage finished the conversation as the three turned back to Hayate.

* * *

"Since we now have exactly twenty two participants left, we will conduct eleven one-on-one matches. The winners will advance to the third round." Hayate explained. "First off; there are no rules. The fight continues until one of you dies, gets knocked out, or admits defeat. I will, however, jump in at a time I think a winner has been established."

"Open it." Anko spoke into her headset.

A section of the wall left of the statue slid away to reveal a giant screen.

The genin gazed up at it as it flashed through people's names.

The flashing slowed and revealed the names of the first two fighters.

"The first battle will be between Tenten and Sakura Haruno!" Hayate announced, "Everyone else please leave the floor."

Everyone began heading to the walls, climbing the staircase to the observer's edges above. The sand, sound and waterfall head up the left staircase with the leaf walking up the right.

Sakura and Tenten positioned themselves opposite each other, smirking and trying to stare the other down.

"Go get her Tenten, you can do it!" Ino called from above.

"What the hell Ino-pig!" Sakura called out, "Why don't you come down here and I'll beat you instead!"

Ino shrugged off the insult and laughed,

"Yea right, you couldn't beat the prettiest kunoichi in all of Konoha." Flipping her long blonde hair.

Sakura clenched her fist, her eyes trying to burn Ino's hair to ashes. She almost missed Hayate's call.

"Begin!"

Sakura turned her attention straight back to Tenten who had decided to attack right off the bat. Three shuriken were heading directly for her.

She twisted her body as they past her, the last just nicking her shoulder tearing her top slightly.

A puff of smoke could be seen as Tenten burst out of it, now wielding a 5 foot pole, using Sakura's unstable dodge to her advantage.

Sakura crossed her arms as Tenten's pole slammed into them, forcing her back several feet.

Sakura gritted her teeth in pain but remained upright.

"That was a cheap shot." She shouted.

Tenten only smiled and regained her stance.

"You should have been paying more attention to your enemy instead of giving in to taunts."

Sakura's hands flashed through some signs.

"Hidden in Plain sight!" The air around Sakura shimmered before she disappeared in the waves.

* * *

Naruto was conflicted, he couldn't decide who to root for. Sakura was his team mate and he liked her but Tenten had been nicer to him in the short while they'd trained together than Sakura ever had.

The kyuubi could sense Naruto's inner conflict. He made the smart decision to stay quiet.

He glanced over at Lee who also had a look of concentration on his face. He was in a similar predicament, his team mate vs. the girl he liked.

* * *

Tenten switched back into a defensive stance, glancing around for any sign of her opponent.

The air hissed as Sakura's fist introduced itself to Tenten's right cheek.

The force lifted Tenten off her feet and onto the floor a few feet away, her pole rolling away towards the statue.

The people up in the stands looked on in curiosity. From their point of view, Tenten flew back on her own.

Tenten however, looked up to see a smug Sakura stand where she had a few seconds before.

She rose to her feet and grabbed another scroll from her side.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Unsealing a pair of jutte and raising them.

Sakura smirked and sidestepped, walking around Tenten in a circle.

Tenten looked confused before Sakura jumped in for another strike.

It never made contact as both ends of the jutte hit her in the stomach, winding her.

Sakura keeled over, clutching her stomach as Tenten stood above her.

"You should have known genjutsu wears off with pain." She muttered.

* * *

The people above watched as Sakura reappeared on the floor with Tenten walking towards her pole.

Hayate stepped forward and checked over Sakura, she was gasping for air and clutching her stomach in pain. It didn't look like she could continue.

"The winner is Tenten." He announced as Tenten resealed her weapons and walked back up to her team mates.

Two medical ninja with a stretcher came and took Sakura off the field, though she seemed to have caught most of her breath.

"Tenten, you fought hard and overcame Sakura's invisibility jutsu!" Lee shouted at her as she sat down against the wall.

"It wasn't hard, she didn't remember that pain snaps someone out of a genjutsu, when she punched me I could see her again." Tenten told him.

Naruto walked over and knelt beside her.

"Thanks for not hurting her too bad." He smiled.

What little oxygen Tenten had gathered quickly left her body, dragging all the blood to her face in the process.

"T…Tha…It was nothing Naruto." She stammered back.

"All right! My turn to show forehead how it's done!"

Naruto looked back to see a pumped up Ino heading down the stairs, he glanced at the board to see Ino's name along with some one called Kin Tsuchi.

He stood back up and watched as a female sound ninja walked down to meet Ino.

* * *

'_Ha! This'll be a snap!_' Ino thought as she examined her opponent.

Kin had her sound headband in it's proper place with a two toned grey scarf around her neck, restricting her long black hair from moving about too much.

Hayate stood between the two girls.

"Begin!"

He jumped away as neither combatant moved. Each were waiting for the other to make their move but neither did.

"Aren't you gonna attack me or anything? How boring." Kin said, smirking.

"Yea, like I'd fall for something as obvious as that. You want me to attack to…" She trailed off as two senbon were hurled at her arm.

She quickly dodged before realizing she'd about to go into a big rant. The senbon implanted themselves into the opposite wall, giving a soft tinkling sound.

"That's it, gloves are off now!" She shouted as she ran forward.

Kin reacted fast, blocking Ino's first punch to her head.

Ino used Kin's arm to help hold herself up as she aimed a kick to her side.

Kin quickly jumped back, Ino's arm lost it's hold as she over balanced and landed on the floor.

There was a deathly silence.

No one dared make a sound.

Some of the jōnin and chūnin knew to keep quiet during a fight while others knew of Ino's temper when she got embarrassed. Even Akamaru was smart enough to hide deep in Kiba's jacket.

Ino quickly jumped back to her feet. Acting like it never happened.

"You're toast now!" She shouted, taking three kunai out of her pouch and raising them to eye height.

She charged again at Kin, quickly flicking the kunai one by one at different body parts of Kin's.

The sound ninja dodged the one for her torso and leg before ducking the one meant for her head.

A loud thump was heard as Ino's knee rose to meet the sound ninja's headband.

It absorbed some of the force but still the blow sent her sprawling backwards.

"That's for trying to make a fool out of me!" Ino yelled as Kin picked herself off the floor.

"Fine, then I guess it's time to end it then!" Kin spat back.

Ino heard the ringing of bells behind her and turned to look.

She saw the senbon Kin had thrown earlier. The sound was persistent, even though there was no wind and it hurt.

Ino clutched her ears in pain as her vision started getting blurry.

"What did you…!" She began but when she turned to glare at Kin she saw lots of blurry Kin.

"Pathetic…" Kin muttered and ran towards Ino with a senbon in each hand held similar to a pencil.

Ino lashed out but only hit the air as Kin stuck her out stretched arm with the needles, leaving them implanted in there.

Ino's arm went limp as she gritted her teeth in pain.

Kin didn't hesitate, she plucked out several more senbon and pushed them into Ino, making sure to place them on pressure points.

By the end of the small scuffle, Ino could barely move her head.

"Last one." Kin whispered, standing over her prey, casually throwing the last senbon into Ino's neck, sending her into the world of unconsciousness.

* * *

The audience above looked down at the scene as Hayate announced Kin the winner and Ino taken off on a stretcher.

"Wow, Ino got beat pretty bad." Chōji said.

"She was too overconfident, make sure you don't make the same mistake Chōji." Shikamaru replied.

Kin walked back up to the stands to lean against the wall with her team mates as the panels on the wall selected the new pair of contestants.

"Naruto Uzumaki vs. Shiro Lyons." It read.

Naruto let off a whoop of joy. Finally, his time to show everyone how much he'd progressed.

Everyone, however, gave him a weird look at his eagerness.

Naruto made his way down the staircase and met his opponent.

'_Seems I get to test out the waterfall's finest._' Naruto thought, watching his opponent join him in the arena.

The waterfall ninja had black hair down to his neck that curved around his face, almost giving it an full circle look. His headband was worn around his neck, coupled with a black t-shirt underneath. His grey ninja trousers looked quite worn, his kunai pouch strapped to his right thigh.

He looked quite menacing due to the blue overcoat he wore which was decorated in blood.

* * *

Hayate felt the tension between the two combatants, they were ready to fight all right.

"Begin!" He shouted and escaped as fast as he could.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto began immediately.

Ten puffs of smoke appeared around him.

"Shadow clones?" Shiro questioned, "You shouldn't be able to make those!"

Naruto laughed,

"Then you just underestimated me."

The ten Naruto quickly charged, drawing kunai and surrounding Shiro.

Shiro had his work cut out for him, eleven Naruto against him.

Shiro quickly dodged and ducked every slash and stab, taking out one of the clones with a swift punch.

"Wow, these things really don't live up to the hype." Shiro chuckled.

The ten Naruto all gritted their teeth.

"I'll show you!" He shouted, the pair to Shiro's rear making a lunge for him.

Shiro back flipped over the two, kicking then in the back, dispelling them and escaping the circle of Naruto.

"My turn." He smirked, flashing through several hand signs.

"Earth Stlye: Mud Slide Jutsu!" He called out, slamming his hands down on the floor.

The ground beneath Naruto shifted. Behind the last Naruto, the ground rose, forming a slope down to Shiro, tilting to an angle of over eighty degrees with a good four feet of thickness.

Several Naruto quickly got their footing, pushing chakra into their feet to stay upright while the rest slid towards the waiting Shiro where he kicked and crushed them.

"That all you got?" One of the left hand Naruto shouted as the four others remaining moved in close.

The front Naruto reached behind him, taking hold of the other's hands as the others lifted his legs up so he was almost laying down, suspended in the air.

"Naruto Rocket!" He shouted, as his front clone pulled and the rear pushed, sending him flying at the waterfall ninja.

He didn't have time to dodge. Naruto shot straight into his stomach, bursting into smoke but not before he sent him flying backward, rolling along the ground.

"Ha, your no match for me!" Naruto shouted out, his clones giving each other high fives.

The waterfall ninja struggled to his feet, he was definitely winded.

"You'll pay for that." He wheezed before clapping his hands together, "Earth Style: Avalanche Jutsu!"

The stone slabs beneath Naruto shifted again, passing a ninety degree angle before succumbing to gravity, collapsing and crushing the remaining Naruto.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called out. He knew Naruto could handle himself but that caught Naruto by surprise. He was worried for the blonde headed baka.

* * *

Naruto felt the rocks landing on him, his clones and arms helping protect his head and chest.

He could feel the weight of the rock above him pressing down on his arms, it was too heavy to move with his arms in this position.

His eyes fluttered as his breath began to leave him…

"**Can you not do anything by yourself?**" A mighty roar in his head berated him.

"**I will help you this once but that is it!**" The fox shouted. Naruto felt desperate and didn't stop whatever the fox was doing.

* * *

Shiro could tell he had damn near crushed the little leaf genin.

"It's over…" He muttered.

There were several cries and shouts from above, mostly from the leaf but Shiro ignored them, turning to face Hayate.

"You can call the match no.." He began.

Clunk!

A rock behind him shifted and banged on the ground.

Shiro turned and saw the rocks rise up, small debris and dirt sliding off the dirty blonde genin who was shimmering with a red outline.

His stood with his mouth open as he watched the blonde genin stand, his body now covered with a light red glow.

"Hidden Strength Jutsu!" Naruto shouted out.

He looked a lot darker now, his body was covered in a faint red glow, his nails and teeth had both grown a little and his eyes were a little darker round the outside. His jacket and trousers filled out as his muscles increased in size. Even his hair had a definite darker tinge to it.

* * *

The people above the scene could feel the sheer power Naruto was exuding.

"He had that much strength?" Kiba shouted in disbelief.

Sakura had re emerged from the medical wing only to be stunned in disbelief.

"Naruto…" She muttered as she clutched the rail to hold herself up.

* * *

Naruto was breathing heavily, it wasn't from the damage, it was from the adrenaline running through his veins. He felt the fox's own chakra flowing through him and his eyes returning to their red slitted state.

He felt powerful.

He felt more powerful than ever.

* * *

"Lord Hokage, what should we do?" Ibiki whispered in the old man's ear.

"Nothing." The Hokage replied, "I can feel him from here, Naruto seems to have tapped into his prisoner's chakra, nothing more."

Ibiki opened his mouth to reply but obeyed the Hokage's orders, watching as the red glow ebbed.

Nearby, the sound jōnin licked his lips in excitement.

Someone else was excited too, Gaara was watching the match intently, the raw power radiating from Naruto excited the beast inside him.

* * *

Shiro's hands began forming signs again. He didn't want to see the results of this latest jutsu.

A pair of hands clasped Shiro's.

He looked up to see Naruto gripping his hands, preventing him from making any hand signs.

"Now I'll show ya!" He shouted. He pushed down on Shiro's hands and used both feet to kick him in the chest, sending him sprawling away.

Naruto followed after his prey with impressive speed, is right hand nails glowing red.

Four feet from Naruto's prey he stopped, his red claws losing their colour.

"…No…it'll kill him…" Naruto whispered to himself.

Shiro took this chance to back off, jumping to his feet and hoping back towards the statue behind him.

Naruto's red claws faded completely as the red glow became dimmer too. His hands reaching into his back pouch, drawing multiple shuriken in each, crossing his arms over his chest before hurling them.

Shiro reacted, flashing through three quick signs.

"Earth Style: Rock Wall!" He shouted, slamming his hands onto the floor again. This time, a slab of stone at ninety degrees emerged in front of him, the shuriken bouncing off it.

Naruto formed his favourite hand sign before two more clones appeared, one either side of him.

They each drew two kunai and charged the wall, taking the left, right and above sides.

Shiro heard them coming and flung two kunai of his own to the sides. The two naruto receiving them in the head and neck respectively before puffing out of existence.

The real Naruto jumped over the wall and flung his kunai at the waterfall ninja's sleeves, pinning him to the floor below.

"Give up or die." He whispered, holding another kunai to his neck.

"N…Never…" Shiro choked out, trying to free his arms from the floor but the kunai had buried itself in deep.

Naruto's eye narrowed.

"Wrong answer." Whoosh, thunk!

Shiro's head slumped back, Naruto lifted the ring of the kunai away from Shiro's head and walked out from behind the wall.

One twirl of the kunai and a sharp blow to the head and any opponent would be out cold or dead, depending on the end used. Luckily for Shiro, Naruto used the ring end.

Hayate quickly jumped onto the statue's finger tips and looked down at the unconscious form of Shiro below.

"Uh…Winner; Naruto Uzumaki!" He announced as medical ninjas quickly freed and carried Shiro away, checking the now growing lump on top of his head.

Naruto turned and walked up the stairs.

Each step he took he felt weaker, he could feel the extra strength he'd received from the Kyuubi receding, leaving his original muscles deflating.

He reached the top and spotted his friends smiling at him. Hinata, Sakura and Tenten were giving him looks of caring while Shikamaru, Kiba, Chōji and Lee gave him looks of admiration. Naruto smiled back and walked forward.

He felt his legs give out from under him.

He collapsed face first on the cold stone.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru called out.

He, Chōji, Lee, Tenten, Sakura and Kiba all rushed to Naruto's side with Guy and Kakashi bringing up the rear.

"Naruto! What is wrong?" Lee asked worriedly as he helped turn Naruto over.

Naruto was breathing heavily.

"Urg…" Naruto struggled out, "Rocks are heavy…"

Kiba reached into his pocket and taking out a small marble like object.

"Here, eat this." He offered, holding it to Naruto's mouth.

Naruto accepted the pill and bit down hard, splitting the pill and swallowing it.

He was still breathing heavily for a moment before his body began gaining a large amount of energy.

His breathing slowed and he felt more alert.

He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position as his breath returned to normal.

"Thanks Kiba, what was that?" He asked.

Everyone gave a sigh of relief as Naruto rose to his feet.

"Soldier pill, they give you a boost in stamina and chakra, they should keep you going but you need to see a medic."

"Good thinking Kiba." Kakashi complimented as he looked Naruto over, checking for any major external injuries.

Hinata's worried face was replaced with one of relief.

She'd been too stunned to help Naruto.

'_Weak…_' She thought in her mind.

If she wanted to be of any use to Naruto and her friends, she would have to get stronger. Everyone else knew the reason why she failed.

It wasn't because of lack of skill or technique, it was confidence which hindered her abilities.

The board revealed the next two fighters.

"Hinata Hyuuga vs. Neji Hyuuga."

Hinata glanced back at the board and squeaked.

Neji's light grey eyes examined the board before turning and making his way towards the stairs.

Hinata looked up at him as his face bore no emotion at all.

Neji walked down the stairs as Hinata slowly followed.

Kiba opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when a hand shot out from the side and grasped Hinata's shoulder, startling her.

"Now I get to see you fight, good luck Hinata!" A familiar voice said.

Hinata turned to see Naruto's trademark grin and cute whisker marks.

Hinata's head filled up with most of the blood from her body but forced herself to stay conscious.

"Th…Thank you…Naruto-kun." She whispered and walked down the stairs to join Neji on the field.

* * *

Hayate watched as the shy girl readied herself for the match. Even he could tell she was scared but he had to continue the match until the end.

"Begin!"

"Before we start the match, I'd like to say something, Hinata-sama." Neji said, his voice rising, "You don't make a good shinobi, forfeit now!"

Hinata looked stunned.

"You're too kind. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict. You agree with others, never resisting…"

Hinata looked away, the truth does hurt.

"…and you have no confidence in yourself, I always feel your sense of inferiority. That's why I thought it would be best for you to remain a genin. But the chūnin exam can only be taken as a team of three. You couldn't turn down your team mate's request and unwillingly entered." Neji finished, "Am I wrong?"

The crowd turned to Hinata, eagerly waiting her answer.

"I…No…I just wanted to change myself…" She stammered bravely.

Kurenai thought back to when she talked to her father about Hinata's wellbeing and training. She didn't come away with an explanation she liked.

"People can't change themselves!" Neji shouted, annoyed at her response. "Losers are losers, their personality and strength will not change."

Now Naruto was annoyed, he was called the dead last and now he knew he had the most powerful tailed beast living in his belly, with his help he had become a stronger person, what made Neji so great he could dictate this drabble to Hinata.

Veins around Neji's eyes pulsed as a look of fear hit Hinata's face.

"You are merely acting strong, there is no way you will surpass me, nor will you ever make the rank of chuni…"

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto shouted from above, "Stop playing your mind games on her! I believe she's strong and she would only get stronger with training!"

The few people around Naruto were startled at his sudden outburst but the did agree with him.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered under her breath.

"Hmph, you cannot talk dead last." Neji muttered.

The sound of air splitting was heard in Neji's ear. Without moving, a kunai whipped past his ear, missing by centimetres.

He turned, knowing the assailant.

"Leave Naruto-kun alone…" Hinata said as firmly as she could without stuttering.

Hinata's lavender tinted eyes changed similar to Neji's; veins pulsing next to them.

"I…I will not run…I will fight you with everything I have!" Her voice grew, becoming a little stronger and took her fighting stance.

"That's the spirit Hinata!" Naruto called out, pumping his fist up in joy. "You show him whose boss!"

Lee hung his head, bad choice of words Naruto.

Neji twitched at Naruto's last sentence, his eyes narrowed.

"Fine, don't say I did not warn you Hinata-sama." He spat before settling into his stance.

"Why are they standing the same way?" Naruto asked Lee.

"They stand that way as they both use the same style of taijutsu." Lee began, "It is called the "Gentle Fist" and is the most powerful taijutsu in the leaf village."

Below, Neji and Hinata charged at each other, their open palms outstretched.

They met and with ferocious speed, began trading blows. Hinata would throw and be blocked and vice versa for Neji.'

"Whoa! Neither of them can land a hit!" Naruto said, amazed.

Both Lee and Guy knew the logic behind the blows and had a grim look on their faces.

"A glancing blow is all that is needed. The gentle fist taijutsu attacks your organs by injecting you own chakra into their coils." Lee stated.

Naruto looked back at the match and focused as little chakra as he dared into his eyes.

He could see the chakra emitted from their hands.

It extended out like a needle, as Lee said, during the pinnacle of the blow though Hinata's did seem smaller and thinner than Neji's.

Hinata was wearing out, she didn't have the endurance her cousin did and her blows were becoming slower.

She slid her leg round Neji's and lifted to trip him. Neji's leg lifted but her didn't fall. He couldn't attack either.

Hinata used the momentum to spin before putting her palms together and thrusting at Neji's chest.

The blow landed as Neji lost his balance and flew back a few feet.

"Yay! Hinata did it!" Naruto cheered.

Hinata smiled at the praise but her heart sank a second later as Neji rose to his feet, brushing the dust off like it was nothing.

"You think this is over?" He asked, disbelievingly, "You managed to land one hit as opposed to the many I have already laden you looked shocked, that hit should have winded him at least.

Neji calmy walked up to Hinata and grabbed one of her arms.

"See." He said as he olled pack her sleeve to reveal several precise pink marks all along Hinata's arm.

"Your chakra hasn't been flowing past your wrists for nearly a minute now."

"It can't be!" Sakura shouted from above.

Neji used his left hand to strike Hinata similar to the way she struck him.

She rolled back a short distance before coughing up a little blood.

"Hinata!" Naruto called out.

"Just give up, this is a battle you cannot possibly win." Neji offered.

"I…don't go back…on my word." Hinata panted. Naruto's ears weren't deceiving him.

"That is also my ninja way…" She finished, standing back on her feet.

"She shares my nindo…" Naruto mumbled as Sakura and Lee smiled at him.

"Didn't you know, Naruto?" Sakura started.

"She has that nindo because of you." Lee finished.

Neji rushed Hinata, catching her off guard and putting her on defensive.

Naruto looked on with a glassy look in his eyes,

"Really?" He mumbled, "Why? What did I do?"

Sakura smiled,

"She got her nindo because you were being the stubborn knucklehead you always are."

Naruto gave her a confused look.

"Whenever you failed you never gave up. Hinata saw your strength and wished it was her own." Sakura continued, Hinata took another blow to her left arm. "She wanted to be like you, to never give up and keep getting stronger."

Naruto turned back to the match.

"Hinata…"

Neji's hand slipped under Hinata's guard and both found her stomach, forcing a large amount of chakra into her.

"Hinata!" Kurenai cried out. That was a devastating blow.

The force of the blow forced Hinata back, her mind about to slip into unconsciousness.

'_At least…Naruto-kun saw me…_' She thought.

A flash of black and orange whizzed through the air and landed behind Hinata, enveloping her in it's arms before falling to the floor.

Naruto landed on his back, clutching Hinata.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out.

Hayate had no choice, someone had interfered.

"Winner; Neji." He announced before he and other leaf genin hurried to the fallen Hinata.

"Someone hurry and get a stretcher!" Naruto ordered in a deep voice.

Hinata's team mates and sensei were the first to be by her side as Naruto rose to his feet, holding Hinata bridal style.

"Hinata, Hinata can you hear me!" Kiba asked franticly while the strethcer and medical ninjas hurried over to them.

Naruto lay Hinata down on the stretcher. She looked so pale, she must have lost a lot of blood.

"Help her as fast as you can!" Naruto almost shouted at the medi-nin.

"Right away." The medi-nin jumped. He and his partner swiftly took Hinata away into the healing bay with Kurenai holding her hand.

Naruto turned to look at Neji.

"How could you do that to your own family!" He shouted.

Neji replied calmly,

"She is weak, the weak do not deserve to live."

"You basted!" Naruto was going to give him what he deserved, a good kick in the teeth.

"No Naruto, you'll get thrown out." Sakura said while she, Lee and Chōji held him back.

Sakura was the voice of reason and Naruto listened, calming down.

"Fine," He shrugged them off. "Mark my words, the first chance I get, I'm smacking that attitude out of you!"

Neji smirked back at Naruto, saying nothing.

Naruto turned and walked off, heading toward the medical bay.

Hayate spoke up as Naruto left.

"Now that all that excitement is over, whose next?"

* * *

Naruto walked through the long corridor, spotting the occasional spot of blood trailing the floor.

He quickened his pace and hurried along til he found a bright white room.

Shielding his eyes, he tried to discover where he was until a hand nudged his shoulder.

"Naruto? You okay?" A soft voice spoke.

Naruto turned to see Ino wearing a blue patients robe over her usual gear.

"Yea, I'm fine Ino. If anything, I should b asking how you are, you did become a pin cushion."

Ino gave Naruto an unappreciative look.

"Thank you for your kind words." She said sarcastically.

Naruto glanced around, looking for whichever way they took Hinata.

"What's up?" Ino asked.

"You didn't see Hinata come through here did you?"

"No, but if Hinata got injured badly they probably took her the same place they took me. Down that hall," Ino pointed out to Naruto, "First on the left."

"Thanks Ino." He smiled and took off at a run.

"Geez, always in a rush." Ino smiled before returning to her own room.

* * *

Naruto skidded to a halt outside the door Ino mentioned before looking inside. He saw Kurenai sitting on the edge of a clean white bed, he didn't see Hinata however.

Click!

Naruto entered,

"Um…Kurenai-sensei. Where's Hinata?"

Kurenai turned and saw Naruto's empathetic look.

"She's in a special room right now Naruto, she can't be disturbed right now as the healers are doing all they can for her."

"It's that bad?" Naruto's voice dropped. He had only a few friends. He couldn't bear if he lost one.

"They have the best medical ninja working on her Naruto, I'm sure she'll be fine." Kurenai smiled.

Naruto wasn't fooled, he used that smile all his life, it was one of worry, fear and uncertainty.

"Could you tell me when she's ready to receive visitors. I want to be the first!" Naruto smiled back.

His smile warmed Kurenai's heart.

"…Sure Naruto." She replied, her own smile becoming genuine as Naruto left the room.

* * *

He wandered back toward the arena. Entering, only to encounter a large gust of dust hit him in the face.

Naruto jumped back into the hallway.

'_What the hell was that_' he thought.

As the dust started to clear, he saw Rock Lee standing in the middle of the floor. Kabuto's team mate with the blacked out glasses was covered in the bandages from Lee's wrist laying motionless on the ground.

"Winner: Rock Lee!" He heard Hayate call out as Lee ran back up the staircase to give the super dramatic thumbs up to his sensei and receive a bright white smile complete with ping noise.

More medical ninja hurried past Naruto with another stretcher and lifted the unconscious ninja onto it.

Naruto got out of their way and hurried up the stairs to his team mates.

"What I miss?" He asked Sakura.

"Lee, he's like super fast. He took off his leg weights and we could barely keep up."

"Really?" Naruto asked, "Wow, Lee must have trained for ages."

"That I did Naruto." Lee's voice said behind him.

Naruto and Sakura turned to see Guy and his clone standing before them with brilliant white smiles each.

"Lee here has been training his taijutsu hard since he was in the academy." Guy said proudly.

"Cool, but why didn't you use any jutsu out there Lee?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Unfortunately my dear Sakura, I lack the ability to utilize chakra and create jutsu; Nin or Gen." Lee said, emotionlessly.

"Oh…I'm sorry…" Sakura apologized.

"Do not apologize, I have trained my body only for taijutsu, I may lack the skills for anything else, but I am a good ninja." Lee stated proudly.

"Oh Lee!"

"Guy-Sensei"

"Lee!"

"Guy-Sensei" They duo hugged creating a sunset over a rocky beach.

"Wow that's creepy…" Sakura's eye twitched.

* * *

"Temari vs. Zaku Abumi." The board read as the Sand and Sound ninja walked down to face each other.

Temari removed the giant fan from her back.

"You ready to feel the pain?" She smirked at Zaku.

Zaku raised his arms to chest height.

"Only if you are." He replied in his deep voice.

"Begin!" Hayate called out.

Zaku made the first move, running low along the ground flipping through hand signs.

His palms shot out towards Temari.

They met metal as Temari moved her fan to block his attack.

"Big mistake." He muttered, "Decapitating Air Wave!"

A substantial amount of air burst out of his palms through the long tubes and directly onto Temari's fan.

The force alone was enough to shoot Temari back into the wall.

The stone cracked as she hit the wall, her fan dropping right beside her.

Zaku merely laughed,

"No one can beat the sound!"

Temari's hand grabbed her fan and used it to push herself onto her feet.

"Damn you…" She choked out, a little winded.

"What's the matter?" He asked mockingly, "You finished already?"

"I'll show you finished!" She cried and flicked her fan.

It opened all the way, showing three purple spots on it.

"Wind Scythe Jutsu!" Temari shouted, slicing the fan through the air.

Zaku raised his arms to protect his head as the air whipped around him.

It didn't help much as the air pressure lifted him of his feet and air slashed and cut him.

Zaku was thinking fast, he'd underestimated the girl.

The wind was slashing at him viciously, he couldn't perform any hand signs.

Dosu knew what he was thinking.

"Don't you dare…" He muttered, Zaku could only hear the wind whistling in his ear. He found the energy to clap his hands together.

"Extreme Decapitating Air Waves!" He shouted out, thrusting his arms forward, letting out a huge amount of air, blasting himself out of the mini cyclone.

He flew back and smashed his head on the wall above the viewing deck, falling into unconsciousness and dropping in front of the leaf jōnin.

The blast he'd conjured head straight for his team mate and the remaining sand siblings.

Kankurō swiftly ducked behind Gaara as his sand shield automatically protected them from harm. Dosu jumped clear of the railings and landed on the battle floor.

"Fool." He cursed.

Hayate jumped up to the platform to check on Zaku; out cold.

"The winner; Temari." He announced.

Naruto looked over at Temari. She looked like she was about to collapse too. That first hit must've been hard.

Both combatants had one kit kill moves, now that was scary.

Medical ninjas maundered themselves past the genin to get to Zaku. He won't be happy when he wakes up; a giant headache and many cuts over his body.

Temari folded her fan up and rested both hands on it, her head bent between them, breathing hard.

Kankurō jumped over the railing and landed beside his sister.

"Hey, you ok?" He asked, worried.

"Yea, yea…" She said softly, looking up at her brother as her vision went blurry, "I'm fi…" She didn't finish as both she and her fan collapsed.

Kankurō quickly caught her and lifted her arm over his shoulder.

"Medic!" He called out as Medical ninja came to relieve him of his sister.

He gave her a quick look over before telling Kankurō she'd only received a mild shock. He quickly healed the lump on the back of her head before her eyes fluttered open.

* * *

'_That was over fast_' Naruto thought as Zaku passed him on a stretcher, '_Too powerful for his own good._'

The stray debris was quickly cleared from the walls as the board announced the next battle.

"Shikamaru Nara vs. Shino Aburame."

Shino glanced at the board, if he was sad or glad Shikamaru was his opponent, he certainly didn't show it.

Shikamaru just sighed,

"Great, now I have to work." He muttered to Chōji.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine!" Chōji grinned.

"Thanks buddy." Shikamaru smiled before following Shino down to the arena below.

* * *

Many of the jōnin were stirring at this latest bout; the mysterious Aburame clan member vs. the genin genius.

Shikamaru and Shino took their places opposite each other, both with their hand in their pockets.

"Begin!" Hayate shouted, jumping back.

Shikamaru watched Shino carefully, checking to see what moves he would make.

Shino on the other hand barely moved a muscle, instead a large amount of insects began collecting themselves in his sleeves.

'_What's he waiting for…_' Shikamaru wondered as several plans began formulating themselves in his head.

Shino moved.

He lighted both his arms and raised the above the rim of his pockets, enough to slip his hands out and point them at Shikamaru.

Two swarms of insects launched themselves at Shikmaru, flapping their little wings in effort.

The two swarms merged into one as Shikamaru jumped back, trying to escape from them.

Shino's hands had returned to their respective pockets.

Acting fast, Shikamaru reached into his pouch and withdrew a red outlined note with kanji written in the middle for "Explode". He wrapped it around a kunai and hurled it into the oncoming storm of insects.

It buried itself deep into the storm and exploded, sending insects both living and dead scattering.

Shikamaru jumped into the smoke screen the explosion had created.

Shino was still standing in his starting position, waiting patiently to strike again.

A shadow burst from the smoke, approaching Shino's own at a dangerously fast pace.

This made Shino react, jumping clear of the shadow till he was sure he was out of it's reach.

The smoke began to settle to reveal Shikamaru still in his jutsu stance.

Many people didn't know who could win this match, no one really knew about Shino and Shikamaru usually didn't show this level of effort.

Shikamaru reached into his pouch again, withdrawing a small ball like object and kunai when he felt himself nearly lose grip of them.

"Seems my kikaichū found you…" Shino said in his soft voice.

Shikamaru's eyes widened and he quickly rolled up his sleeve. Sure enough, several small beetle like insects were biting his arm.

"They live off chakra, pretty soon, you won't have enough left to move."

Shikamaru cursed and brushed them off his arm before hurling the kunai between him and Shino.

It dug itself into the ground before the ball attached to the end of it began emitting a bright light.

The audience above covered their eyes while Shino seemed unfazed, his dark glasses protecting him from the worst of it.

Using the cover, Shikamaru set to work, removing several things from his pouch. He had exactly 30 seconds to finish.

Shino just remained standing still, waiting for the flash to finish.

One of his insects hovered in front of his eyes.

"Good." Was all he said.

The light burned itself out and some of the crowd rubbed their eyes to refocus them.

Down in the arena, Shino still hadn't moved while Shikamaru was holding several strings behind him.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, no one seemed to be able to answer him as they were all wondering the same thing.

"Give up, there is no way you can win." Shino said calmly, analyzing the traps Shikamaru had laid out for him.

"Call off your bugs or I let go." Shikamaru replied, feeling his chakra dip down further.

"Whatever move you pull, I have an ace up my sleeve." Shino said, disturbingly.

Shikamaru couldn't wait any longer. He released the string in his hands.

Several kunai launched themselves toward Shino.

"Hmm? That's all?" He muttered before sidestepping out of their flight path.

Eight kunai flew past him, three on each side, one above and one below.

It was only as they passed him that he noticed the steel wire net binding them together.

The kunai lodged themselves into the ground, the net capturing their prey.

Shino was face up on the floor in a bit of a daze.

Shikamaru acted fast, rushing up to the beetle user and slapped his last exploding tag over Shino's forehead.

"Give up or I detonate it." Shikamaru said fiercely.

Shino was trapped, he couldn't make a bug clone to swap with or remove the wire without Shikamaru ending him. His hidden bugs hadn't sucked all the chakra from Shikamaru's legs either. His ace had failed.

"I concede." He muttered a little downheartedly.

"Urg, finally." Shikamaru said, relieved as he relaxed his stance and fell bac onto the floor. "I just wanna sleep after this."

"Uh…Winner *cough* Shikamaru." Hayate announced.

Chōji and Kiba helped Shikamaru and Shino respectively. Kiba helped Shino out of the makeshift net and remove the exploding tag off his head while Chōji helped Shikmaru back up the steps into the stand.

"Hey, good match Shikamaru!" Naruto complimented. "I didn't know you could work that fast."

Shikamaru smirked,

"I don't like having to work remember, too much effort."

"Well done Shikamaru." A soft voice said behind him.

It was Shino and Kiba, the former having spoken.

"I appreciate a good fight, not many can resist my kikaichū for long."

Shikamaru smiled and stuck out his hand.

"Ditto."

Shino looked at his hand before slowly removing his own to shake it once and return too his pocket.

"Oh no." Sakura muttered.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, looking at her.

She pointed to the board as it read the pairing for the next match.

"Gaara vs. Dosu Kinuta."

The red haired sand ninja made his way down the steps, as did the bandaged sound ninja.

"It's that creepy guy from before!" Naruto exclaimed, "He even gave me the chills, good thing we're not up against him."

"Yea…" Sakura whispered back, watching the two get in position.

* * *

"When this is all over, they'll have to be taking you home in a match box." Dosu smirked evilly, radiating a little killer intent.

"I doubt that. When I crush you there won't be anything left to take away." Gaara replied in his soft harsh voice, returning the killer intent in full with extra.

Hayate wasted no time getting out of there, starting the match as he fled.

Dosu lifted his right metal hand up to his head and drawing a kunai with his other hand.

"Let's see you defend against this." He muttered and banged the kunai on his arm, emitting a disturbing sound wave.

Gaara heard nothing until a loud ringing in his ears made itself known.

"Nrgh." He grunted as he covered his ears.

"So much for the sand ninja." Dosu laughed, raising his arm for another attack, walking closer to his prey.

Kankurō laughed above the arena. The last brunette waterfall ninja looked at him funny.

Kankurō glanced at him and said three words.

"It's already over…"

* * *

Back on the floor, Gaara didn't like the sound he was hearing.

He removed his left hand from his ear and his open palm faced Dosu.

Gaara growled as Dosu laughed again.

"Had enough?"

The sand from Gaara's gourd had been slithering toward his opponent but now Gaara was mad, it made no effort to hide itself.

The sand rose from the floor around Dosu, latching onto his metal arm as a wave of sand poured out of Gaara's gourd, heading straight for the sound nin.

Dosu jumped back, trying to shake the sand off his device as the sand quickly plugged up and disabled his device.

The sound in Gaara's head stopped and he was mad.

"Now it's time to erase you!" Gaara said fiercely, both hands now raised at Dosu.

The sand sped up, now the entire gourd had dissolved, sending a wave of sand at the sound ninja.

"Sand Coffin!" Gaara murmured.

"No! wait!" He cried out as the sand enveloped him, restricting his movement and lifting him up into the air.

The crowd watched in amazement as Gaara's sand brought the sound ninja closer to him so that only 10 feet separated them length wise.

The crowd watched with bated breath, wondering what Gaara would do with his prisoner.

"Please let me go, I giv…" He couldn't finish as Sand filled his mouth to keep the match from ending.

"There is no escape for the weak." Gaara muttered. "Sand Burial!" He then shouted, balling both of his hands into fists.

The sand then completely covered Dosu, enveloping him before contracting very fast into the size of the memorial statue.

Several gasps were heard across the hall as the sand slowly flowed back to Gaara, recreating his gourd and filling it.

"Whe…where's the other one…" Sakura stammered, watching the slightly red sand fill Gaara's gourd.

"He's just…gone…" Lee said, all of the leaf genin were completely shocked at the brutality of the sand ninja.

The last of the sand filled Gaara's gourd as he turned and walked back up the stairs to his brother.

"…Winner…Gaara." Hayate muttered before repeating himself louder, remembering his duty.

Naruto watched as Gaara returned to his original spot, his arms foled like nothing had happened. Next to him, Sakura was shaking, she'd never seen death before.

He put his arm over her shoulder and drew her in for a hug. She silently took deep breaths to calm herself down before excusing herself with a pale look on her face.

* * *

"Only three battles left to go." Shikamaru stated as the board selected the next combatants, his mind still dealing with the loss of a fellow ninja. An enemy but a ninja all the same.

"Chōji Akimichi vs. Ekitai Chisso."

The last waterfall ninja made his way calmly to the arena floor.

"So that's who I'm up against." Chōji laughed, "When all this is over, I'm going to Ichiraku to celebrate!"

Shikamaru sighed,

"Do you ever stop eating Chōji?"

Chōji just gave him a big grin and made his way down to his opponent.

The male waterfall ninja was wearing a long blue overcoat that looked a little funny. It had lumps in places you wouldn't expect a coat to have.

His blue head band was firmly tied around his upper right arm, similar to Shikamaru's. His short black hair stood on end and the hard look on his face meant he didn't play around.

Chōji prepared himself for whatever this guy was gonna throw at him, he wasn't going to be caught off guard.

"Begin!" Hayate shouted.

The waterfall ninja decided to kick off this fight.

He reached inside his overcoat and removed…a bottle of water?

Chōji looked confused for a moment before he removed another bottle with his other hand. Where the label of the company who makes the drink would be, there was a note on each bottle reading "Seal".

"What can you do with those?" Chōji questioned.

"This…" Ekitai replied, throwing the bottles above his head.

The crowd followed the bottles as Ekitai draw a pair of kunai from his back left pouch under his coat and threw them at the bottles. The kunai made a direct hit in the middle of the seal and the bottles burst, showering the field with a lot of water.

Ekitai immediately formed seals while Chōji was distracted.

"Water Clone Jutsu!" He muttered as three clones rose from the floor.

"Gah four on one." Chōji jumped back, putting some distance between him and the enemies.

The clones followed Chōji, drawing two kunai each as they ran.

Chōji thought quickly.

"Expansion Jutsu!" He called out as his arm and hand inflated to over twice their natural size.

He then swiped his hand at the clones. Taking the closest two out, reducing them to water again while the third jumped over the hand, attacking from above.

Chōji's hand quickly shrank as his other inflated and held it in front of his body, palm outwards.

The clone dug its kunai into Chōji's hand, cutting down wards to the bottom.

Chōji winced in pain and forced his hand to flatten on the floor, squashing the water clone.

With all three gone, Chōji shrunk his hand and looked up to see his opponent finish his hand signs ending on Hare.

"Water Style: Water bullets" he cried out, shooting five small water shapes out of his mouth.

Chōji quickly jumped to the side, dodging the first three but taking the last two in the chest and stomach.

The force backed him against the wall as he breathed heavily.

"Come on Chōji!" Shikamaru shouted from the stand.

"Go get him fatass!" Naruto encouraged.

Calling Chōji fat or anything of the sort was forbidden in the leaf unless you wanted to be flattened. Here however, it just made him made.

"First I'm gonna flatten this guy, then I'm coming for you Naruto!" Chōji shouted back with impressive volume.

"You'll have to beat me first." Ekitai provoked, directing Chōji's full attention and anger at him.

"You wanna piece of Chōji!" He shouted back, his eyes narrowing in rage, "Expansion Jutsu!" He shouted, his body enlarging to a round shape. He tucked his arms, legs and head into his clothes as several spouts of chakra blew out of the gaps. Chōji began rolling at a fast pace at his opponent.

"Human boulder!" He cried, "Chubbies Rule!"

The water on the floor didn't help, Chōji span right at Ekitai before he jumped out the way. Chōji tried to turn but skidded along the floor.

"Ha, looks like that jutsu's useless." Ekitai mocked.

He removed another bottle of water from his coat and threw it at Chōji.

"Water Style: Water Bomb Jutsu!" He shouted, flashing through five hand signs as the bottle of water met Chōji's rolling form. It exploded, sending a smokescreen of water everywhere.

"Chōji!" Shikamaru shouted, panicking for his best friend.

Naruto looked on, his eyes trying to pierce the cloud of water.

The cloud slowly cleared revealing Chōji implanted in the wall, still in his boulder form.

A few seconds later his body shrank back to it's normal size, Chōji was still standing.

"Ha, nothing that weak can hurt me in boulder form." Chōji grinned.

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief.

"You still haven't laid a finger on me, what makes you think you can defeat me now." Ekitai laughed.

Chōji gritted his teeth. The waterfall ninja did have a point.

Chōji thought quickly, the best way to stop his water bottle attacks was to restrict use of his hands.

Chōji's chubby form charged at Ekitai, splashing the small pool of water every step he took.

Ekitai realised Chōji's intentions and struck first, aiming a blow straight at Chōji's head.

Chōji ducked and slipped under his arm to deliver a rising uppercut to the chin, sending the ninja high into the air.

Chōji may be slow but he has power to make up for it.

"Now! Expansion Jutsu!" He shouted, his torso once again returning to it's overweight state.

"Ninja art: Chōji Special!" He shouted out as he bounced on the floor, rising up to the waterfall ninja, grinding into his back.

He rolled off of Chōji and swiftly grabbed another water bottle from his coat.

"Oh no you don't!" Chōji shouted. With a burst of chakra in the opposite direction, Chōji shot at the waterfall ninja, connecting with him and landing on top, grinding him into the ground.

There was a large explosion underneath Chōji that sent him flying back into the air, reverting back to his less chubby state and landing on his feet.

The waterfall ninja was outcold, laying on the floor completely soaked.

Chōji had landed on him with such a force that his remaining bottles had exploded inside his jacket.

"Hmm never stood a chance!" Chōji laughed.

"Winner; Chōji!" Hayate declared as Medical ninja removed Ekitai from the crater Chōji created.

"Now for my next opponent!" Chōji smirked darkly before turning to give Naruto an evil glare. "Naruto!"

Naruto gulped and quickly used Lee as a shield.

Chōji charged up the stairs, moving faster than when he'd been fighting.

Lee stepped to the side, as did everyone else as Chōji charged down the viewing platform, heading straight for Naruto.

"**Run kit!**" Kyuubi shouted in his head.

He instantly complied, jumping over the railing.

"Come back here Naruto!" Chōji shouted from behind, shaking his fist at the blond genin.

Naruto just laughed and ran away down the nearest corridor.

Amidst Naruto laughing and running, he didn't register Kurenai being in the way.

Living up to her Jōnin status, she swiftly tripped Naruto and caught him by the back of his collar, bringing him to an instant halt.

"Naruto, you shouldn't be running around in the medical halls." She reprimanded him.

"I'm sorry Kurenai-sensei, I was just running from…" Naruto began. "Hey wait a minute, why aren't you with Hinata!" He yelled out.

Kurenai dropped the loud genin on his butt.

"Don't yell Naruto, people are getting healed here you know." Kurenai gave him a stern look before her features softened again.

"I was actually coming to get you," She began, "Hinata's out of the healing bay but she's not ready for visitors."

Naruto's goofy attitude disappeared all together.

"Can I still go see her…" He asked quietly.

"Yes." Kurenai said simply, "Provided you don't go inside."

Naruto smiled warmly at her before the duo made their way to Hinata's room.

* * *

Naruto peered through the window, he could see her petite figure laying in bed. Her indigo hair framing her face as a breathing mask lay over her mouth.

Her arms were over the covers with a few wires in both. More cables were coming from under the sheets, all linking up to several, (what Naruto presumed) high tech devices, showing her bodily readings.

Naruto could see the slow rise and fall of her chest as the machines recorded her heart rate.

Kurenai watched Naruto, she knew Hinata cared deeply for Naruto and whether or not Naruto knew, she could tell he wasn't happy right now.

Naruto's hand balled into a fist and sped towards the wall.

It stopped, inches before it touched the wall as Kurenai took a step back.

"I swear I'm gonna make him pay…" Naruto whispered, deathly quiet. "He's gonna wish he never did this to Hinata!" He finished, his back still turned from Kurenai, gazing at Hinata.

Without another word, Naruto turned and walked back towards the exams, his anger bubbling in his belly.

* * *

Walking back to the arena, Medical ninja, carrying a stretcher were running towards Naruto.

"Out of the way." The front ninja said to Naruto as he stepped aside.

The ninja's passed Naruto as he caught a glimpse of the figure on the stretcher.

It was Kabuto's last team mate, his face was pale and his arms looked like they'd been pulled from their sockets.

The medical ninja hurried on their way as Naruto resumed walking down the hall.

'_I wonder who did that…_' He thought.

Sakura was the next person to pass him.

"Hey Sakura what are you…" Naruto didn't get a chance to finish as she rushed past him and through the hall.

'_Weird, every seems to be in a hurry now,_" he pondered, now entering the arena.

He quickly walked over to the stairs as Sasuke walked down them.

"So you're finally gonna fight eh?" Naruto teased.

"Yea, I'm against that loudmouth idiot. He reminds me of you." Sasuke shot back.

A Naruto's eyes lowered and twitched in anger.

'_Must not prove him right._' He kept repeating in his head.

"Hey Naruto! You're just in time for my fight!" Kiba shouted as he passed Naruto and Sasuke on the stairs.

"Kiba! Do you want me to look after Akamaru?" Naruto asked.

"Nah, Akamaru sticks with me." Kiba smirked, "Come on Sasuke, or are ya scared?"

That wouldn't stand. Sasuke pushed past Naruto, heading for Kiba.

Hayate stepped between the two before Sasuke started the match early.

Kiba laughed as Sasuke tried to push past Hayate as he lowered Akamaru to the floor.

'_Why's he taking Akamaru with him._' Naruto thought as he retook his place next to Kakashi. The remaining genin and some of the chūnin and jōnin were wondering the same thing. The prompter hadn't disallowed it so people accepted it.

Sasuke finally relented and moved into his proper position.

"The final battle of the preliminaries will now…begin!" Hayate announced, jumping back at the end.

Kiba wasted no time getting started and felt his chakra flowing round his body.

"Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All Fours Jutsu!" Kiba said, resting his hands on the floor and laying low, like a dog ready to attack. Kiba's nails extended into claws as certain teeth became sharper.

"Stay back for a sec Akamaru, I wanna test his strength." Kiba smirked.

Akamaru yipped in response and sat, waiting for his master's next order.

Sasuke took up his fighting stance.

"Come and get me if you think you're good enough." Sasuke provoked.

That was all it took for Kiba to pounce.

Kiba lunged at Sasuke, his right hand extended to slash, faster than Sasuke expected but not fast enough.

Sasuke blocked his first attack and used his left leg to block the second.

Kiba was now inadvertently holding Sasuke up.

"See ya!" Sasuke sneered, bringing his right leg up and leaning back to balance on his left arm, kicking Kiba square in the jaw.

Kiba skidded back to Akamaru as Sasuke twirled on his right hand to land before standing up again.

"It that all you got?" Sasuke laughed.

Kiba quickly jumped back up, reaching into his back pouch.

He withdrew his hand and chucked a small black pill into Akamaru's awaiting mouth and taking another himself.

"What did he just take?" Naruto asked Kakashi.

"The same thing he gave you earlier Naruto." Kakashi explained, "A soldier pill. It also intensifies your chakra, making the cost for jutsu lower."

Naruto turned back to the fight to see a now red furred Akamaru jump on Kiba's back.

"Beast Mimicry: Man-Beast Clones!" Kiba cried out as Akamaru changed into an identical copy of Kiba.

"Just another flashy clone trick." Sasuke laughed. "You can't even make more like Naruto."

"Don't underestimate us…" Both Kiba said in unison, creeping out the crowd.

Both Kiba and his clone charged at Sasuke, claws ready, moving faster than the last attack.

Sasuke quickly activated his sharing an and felt a twitch on his neck as both Kiba swiped at him.

He quickly ducked the first attack and shifted his right leg back to avoid the second.

The Kiba passed Sasuke and landed not five feet behind him.

Before Sasuke could turn they both lunged again. The first slashing across his back and the other scratching his leg.

"It's not over." Both Kiba said again in unison as they landed.

They both rushed at Sasuke again as he regained his footing.

"Fang Over Fang!" They cried out, rotating fast and turning into drill-like blurs.

Sasuke quickly jumped over their heads, thinking they wouldn't be able to see him dodge.

He was wrong.

Both blurs turned and shot directly at him. They struck home when they hit him in the chest, grinding and slashing him before sending him crashing back to the floor, sending dust into the air.

The blurs landed a little distance away and looked back at the homemade smokescreen.

"Good work Akamaru." Kiba smiled at his clone, to which it gave a happy bark.

Two more simultaneous cries were heard across the room.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto glanced over to see none other than Sakura and Ino. Ino was still in her patients robe while Sakura just looked out of breath.

'_Must have told her Sasuke was fighting._' Naruto thought, a little jealousy washing over him.

Several balls of fire shot out from the dust, one collided with Akamaru, sending him sprawling before another collided, bringing him out of his transformation.

"Gah, Akamaru!" Kiba shouted as he dodged the incoming fireballs himself.

When they finished the smoke cleared to reveal a battered Sasuke with a little blood flowing down from his forehead.

"Akamaru, no…" Kiba howled as he picked up the unconscious form of the burned little puppy.

Even if Sasuke was fighting Kiba, people weren't happy to see a puppy beaten down so harshly. Even Sakura and Ino weren't cheering anymore.

Kiba jumped to the side, laying Akamaru down as the red fur receded from his body before turning back to Sasuke, a fierce look over his face.

"No one hurts my dog!" Kiba shouted across to Sasuke.

Sasuke felt his chakra control slip at the end of his last technique, he needed more power to beat Kiba.

It was at that time Sasuke's sealed curse mark began really acting up, sensing his desires.

Sasuke clutched his shoulder in pain, unable to stop the oncoming force that was Kiba Inuzuka.

"Tunnelling Fang" Kiba shouted as he returned to his grey drill state and slamming back into Sasuke.

Sasuke cried out in pain as Kiba pushed him back, not letting up on the attack.

Regaining control of his arms, he combined his hands over his head and slammed down on what he assumed was Kiba's head.

The blur dug down into the ground, leaving Sasuke to fly back and roll over.

Kiba released the technique, clutching his head in pain as he rose from the crater as Sasuke stumbled to his feet.

Black flame like marks slowly began spreading over Sasuke's right side, flowing down his arm and reaching his thigh.

"Must…defeat…Kiba…" He gasped, his lungs taking a definite blow during that last attack.

Kiba's soldier pill wasn't all talk. He could still feel the temporary chakra flow through him, giving him the strength to ignore the lump on his head and charge Sasuke again.

'_Just…one more…_' Sasuke thought as the flames fully enveloped his right side.

Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing, what was happening to Sasuke.

Six hand signs were formed.

"Fire Style:…Fireball Jutsu." Sasuke struggled, forming the familiar ring around his mouth and blew with all the chakra he could muster.

Kiba tried to slow and dodge as soon as he saw the orange flames leave Sasuke's mouth but he wasn't fast enough, the flames engulfing his form as he cried out in pain.

"Kiba!" Naruto, and surprisingly Shino cried out.

The flames disappeared almost as fast as they appeared, leaving a singed Inuzuka on the floor, part of hair and coat missing with the edges blackened.

Sasuke panted heavily, that was the last of his power. The seal on his neck began to recede.

Hayate and two medical ninja hurried over to Kiba with another scooping up Akamaru.

"Winner; Sasuke!" Hayate called out.

Sasuke's vision was blurring, sounds were becoming fainter.

Sasuke's failing body lost it's footing and began falling to the floor.

A puff of smoke appeared underneath him as Kakashi materialised, carrying Sasuke with both arms.

"I'll take him to the healing bay." He told the medical ninja before disappearing in another puff of smoke.

Kiba was carried off the field on a stretcher, Akamaru carried in the caring arms of a healer.

Sakura and Ino looked at each other, both silently asking whether they should follow after Sasuke.

* * *

"With this, the preliminary trials for the third test are over!" Hayate announced without a cough, "Could those who have won their battle please line up here." He said, pointing a row of undamaged stone just in front of the statue.

Tenten, Shikamaru, Chōji, Neji, Lee, Kankurō, Kin, Gaara, Temari and Naruto all made their way down the stairs and towards the front of the room.

The Hokage and several jōnin including Anko, Guy and Asuma were already at the front, waiting for them.

The sound jōnin had mysteriously slipped away.

The ten genin lined up along the undamaged slabs.

"Despite one person missing, congratulations to you all who managed to overcome your opponents in battle," Hayate announced.

"In the final rounds, each of you will put your battle skills on display. To not hold anything back, the third round will begin one month from now." The Hokage announced.

"Wait, we're not gonna do it right here and now?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Many clients for missions will be arriving to watch the final test. Time is needed to distribute the summons." The Hokage continued, "Not to mention, you will need time to prepare for each of your battles. Each of you now know the others skills, so you will need this time to prepare new skills to win your battles. Remember to get some rest as well, all work and no play makes a ninja tired and an easy target."

"Let's get this over with, I've gotta get training." Naruto fussed, bored with the long winded speech.

"Okay then, if you insist Naruto, Anko." The hokage replied, nodding to Anko at the same time.

"Each of you will draw a slip of paper from here." Anko called out, holding an orange box. "One slip of paper each."

Staring at the end of the line with Tenten, Anko moved down, each of the genin drawing a single slip of paper.

"Now call out your numbers from left to right." Ibiki called out.

Each of the genin called out their number, Naruto getting number ten.

When they had finished, Ibiki directed their attention to the board.

It brought up the final matches that the genin would be fighting in, showing them in the form of a tournament table.

Shikamaru vs. Chōji

Neji vs. Kankurō

Gaara vs. Kin

Sasuke vs. Lee

Temari Vs Naruto

Tenten getting a free advance to the second round against the winner of match five.

Different thoughts were running though the genin's heads, some of them good, some bad about who they would be up against.

'_Temari? I got the sand girl?_" Naruto questioned in his mind, if he won his first match he would be against Tenten in the second. He was sliently weeping in his head, cursing his bad luck.

"I have a question." Shikamaru stated, the Hokage nodded in response.

"If this is like a tournament, then is there only one person who will become a chūnin?"

"Actually you all have the possibility of becoming chūnin," The Hokage replied, "Several judges, including myself will be evaluating your skills and depending on your performance, you will or will not advance to chūnin. The person who wins the tournament might not become a chūnin while someone who lost in the first round could. More matches means more chances to show off your skills."

Shikamaru appeared satisfied with the answer, but cursing the fact he would have to work for a month.

"Thank you all for your patience, we will adjourn till next month." The Hokage finished.

The stone that covered the board slid back into place as the jōnin and Hokage began leaving the room.

"Hey wait a minute!" Naruto called out.

The Hokage turned, as did several jōnin to see Naruto's confused face.

"How do we get out of this forest safely?" He shouted out.

* * *

A/N: Nice big chapter for you guys to eat up, over 12k of words, hope you enjoyed. If any of you picky people want to know who got which number, they are in the order from left to right like the manga. Thanks again everyone that reviewed and I'm finally free from exams so hopefully (with lots of reviews,) I can get the next chapter out faster! :D

Finally, the winners of Naruto's harem is *drum roll* 1st: FemHaku, 2nd: Hinata, 3rd: Anko and finally, since we have a tie between Tenten and Hana Inuzuka, I'm gonna have to give the winning place to Tenten. My reason? I see Tenten as someone who could possibly love Naruto as the story progresses and is fun to create new jutsu for. Hana is an Inuzuka, not much can be said about her abilities, she probably has a lot of similar jutsu to Kiba and Tsume. Sorry for those of you who wanted Hana but those are breaks :s

Keep reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**The New Naruto**

First off I appologize for the very bad fight between Naruto and Yoroi. If you didn't know, I have redone the fight, switching him with the waterfall ninja Rock Lee faces.

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

* * *

**Chapter 10 - Preparations**

Naruto awoke early the next morning.

The forest of death was childs play for the jōnin that helped them get out.

'_That Gaara kid…_' Naruto shivered, '_…he just walked off back into the forest._'

Naruto stretched and went through his morning routine, making sure to eat all of his instant ramen for the training plan he'd prepared for himself.

"Ah! Nothing like ramen to start the day!" He gasped, sucking down the last of the noodles before throwing the cup at the already full trash can, which promptly, bounced off.

He didn't notice as he grabbed his black and orange jacket and escaped through the window.

* * *

Naruto arrived at Team 7's training ground.

'_Hmmm, Sasuke isn't here? I wonder if he's still in the hospital?_' Naruto wondered, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his new sword, one Naruto had personally helped Tenten forge for him.

She'd made him help for two reasons or so she said.

One was to put his own sweat and blood into the blade, creating his sword was like creating an extension of him. It was his and no one else's.

Her other reason was she because she wanted to test his weapon ability in the exam after Naruto beat, "That sand chick".

Naruto draped his jacket over one of the posts and walked over to the nearest unlucky tree.

His hand gripped his new sword over his right shoulder, back where it belonged.

This short sword was about the same length as his previous one, Naruto's birthstone in the centre of the guard, a small, round, white opal. The hilt itself had two protruding ends which curled up to face the end of the blade, the lower section of the hilt overlapped some of the grip, covering Naruto's hand should an enemies' blade try to cut it off. The grip was made of dark brown leather, wrapped around a golden coloured handle which ended with a small foxes' head at the end, mid-roar.

Naruto waiting silently, his hand still on his blade as the wind swept through the clearing.

A fallen leaf crossed between Naruto and the tree. Naruto's sword sliced through the air, barely making any sound until contact with the tree, leaving a huge scar nearly half way through the tree.

The leaf fell to the ground, split in two perfectly down the middle.

* * *

Creaaaaak, Crash!

Another tree splintered and crashed to the ground, it's middle torn apart by Naruto's new blade.

Naruto was panting heavily, fatigued and worn down unlike his blade, its only problem was dirt.

He grabbed his water canteen and took a long drink before pouring a little on his sword before sitting down and cleaning it on the grass.

Just then, he heard a great yawn echo in his mind.

"**Morning brat, finished already?**" The fox greeted as he stretched in his cage.

'_Already? It's two 'o' clock and I haven't had lunch yet!_' Naruto yelled back at the fox in his mind.

"**Geez, what's eating you besides me in the future.**" The fox chuckled.

Naruto scowled,

'_Watch it fox!_'

It was at this time the fox used its intelligence to do the smart thing and remain silent, curling back up for its daily fox nap.

Naruto sighed, letting all the hot air leave his body before raising to his feet, grabbing his jacket and swiftly donning it, heading towards town.

* * *

Naruto let out another sigh as he walked along, enjoying the warm air and the feeling of the sun on his skin. No matter how good these felt, they couldn't pry his mind away from Hinata.

He knew he couldn't do anything at the moment to help her and he felt terrible about it.

He glanced up at the Hokage's faces on the great mountain behind the village, remembering his time before becoming a genin, painting their faces.

'_I haven't played a prank in ages, I think I've matured a little…_' Naruto thought as he passed the local tar shop.

He spotted the wagon outside holding a few large barrels of tar still loaded on.

'_That could be useful…_' he found himself thinking as he tried to resist grabbing the barrel.

His resistance was lost as he spotted a similar situation with the decorations shop, only having a bag labelled "Bright coloured feathers" instead.

'…_or maybe I haven't matured too much!_' Naruto's playful side returned.

The wheels in Naruto's head turned quickly.

Maybe he could distract himself from Hinata after all…

* * *

The trap was in place, it had only taken a few shadow clones and a transformation jutsu or two and he'd gotten what he needed.

Naruto lay prone on a roof close to the hot springs.

Lot's of people liked to relax at the hot springs so he thought this would be the best and fastest place to put his latest prank into motion.

He giggled quietly as he watched and waited.

He heard footsteps.

Naruto snuck a peak down below, he could see a rather old man with long white hair, red vest with two yellow circles around his upper torso with a green gi underneath, trying in with his green trousers to match. His outfit was topped off with a small horned headband with the kanji for oil written on it.

The figure giggled perversely as he scribbled something in a small pocket book.

"Ooooh, I can't wait! With all the sexy kunoichi off missions, there's bound to be something for my boo…" The old man began. He was about to emerge from the alley way when he heard giggling coming from above.

He stopped, snapped his book shut and glanced up at the source of the noise.

The old man caught a glimpse of yellow hair and a blue leaf headband before it whipped out of sight.

"Oi, you!" He called out, "What's so funny?"

Naruto cursed himself, he couldn't have waited a few seconds longer to let the laughter pour out when his plan actually succeeded.

He poked his head out from the top of the roof top again before rolling down and jumping in front of the man, outside the alley way.

"Well someone told me that old desperate men gather here, so far you're the first so you must be the most desperate!" Naruto laughed, pointing directly at the man.

"Why you little!" He began, rolling up his sleeves and stepping forward menacingly, "When I get a hold of you I'm gonna…"

Naruto was feet away from the guy before his foot caught the ninja wire Naruto had placed.

He was too angry to notice before.

Splodge, poof!

Tar and feathers mixed in a mini-explosion at the alley entrance/exit.

The feathers disguised the confusion but not for long.

The rainbow coloured feathers were now either on the floor or on the man. He was now covered head to toe in black sticky tar and feathers.

Naruto clutched his sides as he watched the old man cry out in agony, dropping to the floor and writhing around.

Something was seriously wrong.

The mans hand shot out and grabbed a hand full of earth before releasing it, as though trying to will away the pain.

Naruto quickly hurried to the old man's side,

"What's wrong? I didn't kn…" The man's hand now found Naruto's neck and instantly the writhing stopped.

Naruto's eyes pierced through the feathery mess to see the man grinning an evil grin.

"Now I got you ya little brat!" he whispered. That scared Naruto worse than the yelling as both his hands gripped the old man's, trying to break free.

The old man rose to his feet, a few feathers falling from his person as the sticky tar remained stuck.

"Now I'm gonna make you pay!" He hissed.

Naruto's hand stopped gripping the mans as his look of shock turned into a wide grin.

"Fat chance!" He laughed before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Jiraiya looked around, the orange clad ninja was a shadow clone as the real one stood atop the building his clone had jumped from.

"See ya!" He called down as he jumped away to the next building, laughter still ringing in the air.

Anko walked out of the hot springs entrance and saw Naruto making good his escape and the old man covered in feathers.

"Jiraiya-sama! Are you ok?" She asked worriedly.

Jiraiya wiped what feathers he could from his face before he glanced at the mechanism that caused his current attire.

The string was attached to the two buildings low to the ground before turning ninety degrees upwards, attached to the end of a barrel of tar and a bag of feathers.

"Blasted kid!" He yelled before jumping up to the roof, he was going to make Naruto pay one way or the other.

Anko examined the trap more closely, Naruto had put the pins and the wires in the most effective places to make full use of his resources.

"Uzumaki Naruto huh?" She muttered before cracking a smile, "Reminds me of me…"

* * *

Naruto was full of glee, he ran and jumped along the roofs, content his prank had worked.

"That old man will think twice before heading to the hot springs." Naruto chuckled.

"Not likely!" came a familiar angry voice behind him.

A pair of rainbow arms wrapped around his stomach, holding his arms at his sides.

"This time I got ya!" Jiraiya smirked, tightening his grip around Naruto.

"Can't….breathe…" Naruto gasped. His mind raced.

Naruto brought his feet up against the man's legs, pressing down on them, trying to push back.

"Not gonna work kid." Jiraiya laughed, his grip now making Naruto's spine make the noises he only made when waking up.

Naruto's feet found Jiraiya's crotch however.

They didn't kick nor pound. Instead, a large amount of chakra built up at the soles. Naruto remembered his tree climbing exercise as his feet blast him and the sannin apart as the sannin's hand's flew to his crotch.

His face and knees hit the floor as he tried to ease the pain he was now feeling as Naruto took this chance to make his get away.

The air quickly returned to his lungs.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He shouted before hundreds of Naruto burst from the smoke, each fleeing the scene in almost every direction possible.

A minute later all flashes of orange were gone and Jiraiya stuggled to his feet, one hand still trying to somehow fix the damage Naruto inflicted.

"All right kid, this means war!" He cried out, the last part reaching the outer rim of the city.

* * *

Six Naruto ran along the street, confusing villagers as two turned down an alley whilst another ran into a shop.

One of the clones reached for the real Naruto as a kunai appeared in his hand.

He quickly hurled the kunai at the Hokage manor as he and the other clone hid in the academy.

The Naru-kunai flew through the air, approaching the Hokage wall before it was plucked from the air by a masked figure.

The ANBU landed and threw the kunai safely down at the grass inside the manor grounds.

A puff of smoke later and the kunai became Naruto, rubbing his head as the ANBU faced him.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" The ANBU asked coldly.

Naruto grinned and laughed before returning to his feet.

"There's an enemy ninja on my tail! He's right over there see?" Naruto reported, pointing in the general direction he left Jiraiya.

"Where?" The ANBU squinted behind his mask. "I can't see any…" He turned to face Naruto again only to find an empty space and yellow flashing lines similar to his outline flashing.

Naruto ran up the Hokage's stairs, he'd sprinted past the other ANBU who was currently giving chase.

"Come back here!" He yelled as Naruto yanked open a door to his left and slammed it behind him, pushing his back against it like a barricade.

"Naruto?…" A soft voice asked.

Naruto spotted a confused old Hokage sitting at his desk in the middle of signing papers with his pipe slowly smoking.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Naruto daren't leave the door but still answered the kind old man.

"There's this guy…he kinda looks like a chicken…and he's after me…" Naruto breathed out.

"Chicken? What are you on about now Naruto?" The old Hokage sighed, resting his free hand on his forehead.

"Well he had this weird headband on, it had two short little horns on it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed. His old student had gotten himself mixed up with the likes of Naruto.

Click.

Naruto's head turned to the right as the door next to him opened revealing a less feathered Jiraiya dripping bits of tar into the room.

Naruto froze, how could he have been found so easily.

"Hey sensei, you wanted to see me?" Jiraiya smiled, shutting the door behind him and grabbing Naruto by his collar. "I'm a little busy as you can see but…"

"Sit down and let the boy go." The Hokage said sternly.

Jiraiya complied immediately, dropping the black and orange clad ninja and standing in front of the Hokage's desk but not before whispering,

"We'll finish this later." Into Naruto's ear.

"Leave us Naruto." The Hokage ordered.

Naruto yanked open the door and tripped over himself to get out before closing it after him.

"Well, that's one problem sorted." He said, dusting his hands as he walked down the corridor only to bump into two annoyed ANBU guards.

"Oh, hey guys! The Hokage want to see you." Naruto said, trying not let his voice crack.

"What about?" One of them asked while the other continued glaring at Naruto.

"Something about not being able to catch a genin or something." Naruto smirked before pushing past the two. "Have fun in your meeting." Naruto left the building, the sun hitting him in the eyes as he gazed up at the sky.

"Ah, this was a fun day…" He smiled.

A sound wave of yelling blasted from the Hokage's office.

"Get out of here this instant!" Naruto and half the village heard the Hokage shout.

"…fun for me anyway." Naruto laughed, walking away from the Hokage building.

* * *

Akamaru let out a soft whimper as he and his master lay back on a roof top looking up at the sky and the clouds.

Several Naruto had run past earlier but Kiba thought nothing of it.

Akamaru descended into slumber as Kiba laughed softly at the small puppy.

He stood quietly and walked over to the edge of the building before sitting down, gazing at the people below going about their business.

'I wonder how Hinata's doing?' He thought.

Looking around he noticed the black and orange knucklehead wandering through the street with a smile still sitting on his face.

Kiba looked back to see Akamaru still snoozing on his back.

'He'll be fine.'

Kiba pushed himself off the building, kicked the wall and landed a few metres in front of the blonde.

"Heya Naruto."

"Hey Kiba, what's up?" Naruto asked.

"You haven't heard anything about Hinata have you?" Kiba's voice spoke only sadness.

"No, is she ok?" Naruto asked, his smile gone.

"Well last time I saw her was a day or two ago, Kurenai-sensei said Hinata needed her rest so I can't see her everyday."

"I haven't seen her either, maybe Kurenai will let me in."

"If you do see her, make sure you tell me how she's doing, ok buddy?" Kiba requested.

"Sure thing." Naruto answered, glancing up at the sun. "I better get going then, visiting hours are nearly over."

Kiba chuckled as Naruto dashed off yet again, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

* * *

An orange and black figure screeched over the smooth floor as he stopped himself sliding into the hospital reception desk.

"Where is Hinata Hyuuga's room?" Naruto huffed.

The nurse behind the desk looked stunned before uickly regaining her senses and sending Naruto to room 208.

Naruto thanked the nurse and hurried himself along the corridor and up the stairs, coming to rest outside Hinata's room.

He looked over at the clock on the wall.

"7:30" It read.

"Yosh! I made it." Naruto said just a bit too loud.

The door in front of him opened and an angry, blood eyed women glared at him.

Naruto jumped back against the wall as long black locks of hair caught up with the woman and fell back around her face.

Kurenai realized who was creating the noise and put her finger to her lips.

Naruto nodded his head before she stepped aside, inviting him in.

He quickly hurried past her and into the room, catching his gasp at the last second.

Hinata was still laying in bed, her body still having multiple wires plugged in but there were less than the chūnin exam room. She looked a little less pale than before too

Both Naruto and Kurenai's eyes softened at the sight they saw; Naruto for Hinata and Kurenai at Naruto.

"C…could you give me some time?…Kurenai-sensei." Naruto asked politely and quietly.

Kurenai responded by leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Naruto walked over to the empty seat by Hinata's side and sat, getting a closer look at her face.

Naruto took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb along the top.

Naruto wished he could do something to help her heal.

Wait… heal!

"**No!**" A deep voice in Naruto's head responded instantly.

'…but…'

"**Anything I do will hinder more than help.**" The Kyuubi spoke up, "**Your body had time to adapt to my chakra, if she took it in, it would likely end her career as a ninja and maybe her life**."

Naruto went back to thinking up new things that could help Hinata while the fox just lay his paws over each other and rest his head.

* * *

Jiraiya had finished his meeting with the Hokage and the pair had tracked Naruto back to the hospital.

The nurse at the reception desk was gathering her things to leave as the old man walked up to her.

"You didn't happen to see Naruto did you?"

"Naruto?…" She asked confused. "Oh, that blonde kid that's always getting banged up? He's upstairs, room 208 last I saw." She replied, gathering the last of her stuff and shuffling away.

The third led Jiraiya through the halls and up to the indicated room.

"I remember when I used to get sent here." He laughed, "This place was almost like home to me."

"You did have a habit of trying unbelievably stupid things." The third replied,

"Remember when you returned from Mt. Myōboku?"

"Urgh, don't remind me, I hate to be in a bare white room for a week." Jiraiya shivered.

Kurenai appeared ahead of the duo, walking round the corner with a cup of coffee.

"Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama…" Almost dropping her cup in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to see Naruto, is he in here?" The hokage asked politely as Jiraiya's eyes lit up with hearts, "Not now!" The hokage said sternly.

Kurenai opened the door a crack and peered inward.

Inside they found a sleeping Hinata, her heart monitor beating softly in time with her heart with a certain blonde haired genin resting his head on the side of the bed, his hand still holding hers.

Jiraiya and the third snuck a peek before closing the door gently.

"It'll be best to leave this till morning, don't you think sensei?"

"Yes Jiraiya, if we woke him now, the whole building would shake with his excitement." The third replied.

"What? What's going to happen?" Kurenai asked confused.

Jiraiya looked at his teacher cautiously as Hiruzen nodded, giving him permission.

"I'm taking Naruto out on a mission with me."

"But Naruto needs this time to train for the final." Kurenai tried to reason.

"I will train him myself on the road, the whole experience should show him a bit more of what the world is like."

"But he's Kakashi's…" Kurenai began.

"He's no longer Kakashi's student!" Jiraiya said rather fiercely at Kurenai, scaring the jōnin a little. "Kakashi is perfectly willing to comply with the council and train the "Last Uchiha"."

Kurenai just kept quiet as Jiraiya regained his previous composure.

"I agreed to let Jiraiya take Naruto out on this mission as he may tip the balance between it's success or failure." The third reassured Kurenai.

"Just what is this mission exactly?" She asked.

"That's an 'S' rank secret I'm afraid." The third replied.

Kurenai sighed and glanced back at the door where the two young genin lay sleeping behind.

* * *

Naruto's eyes opened slowly. His back felt stiff and the room was bright.

He slowly lifted his head up and found Hinata lying in her hospital bed.

Pins and needles struck Naruto's arm as he followed it's path, coming to rest seeing his hand still holding Hinata's.

He smiled at the sight before him. Even in her weakened state, she still looked cute.

The sun had crept in and was beginning to crawl up the sheets.

Naruto quickly checked the wall clock, it was already quarter to nine.

He let go of Hinata's hand and crept out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

He glanced around, making sure no nurses or staff were around before jumping out the hallway window into the street below.

* * *

A loud grumbling could be heard as Naruto made his way down the street.

"All right, all right, I'll feed you. Geez." Naruto poked himself in the stomach as he said this, heading for his favourite eatery.

"It's nice to see you still so full Gama-chan!" Naruto squeaked as his rubbed the green frog-like wallet against his face affectionately.

Naruto turned the corner and arrived at Ichiraku's.

Naruto stopped, confused.

Someone else was eating there before him. That was exceedingly rare and Naruto knew that the only other ramen lover like him was Chōji.

The man sitting at the counter wasn't Chōji though.

Naruto could make out his green suit, red jacket and clogs...

'No way!' Naruto thought loudly, making the fox stir in his sleep.

The old guy was probably still out for revenge. Naruto tiptoed backwards.

"Pull up a stool kid." A familiar voice called out. Naruto froze, the voice only confirming his suspicions.

Naruto lifted the flap into the ramen bar and saw Jiraiya sitting in Iruka's usual seat, eating the last of his ramen.

"Well? Are you gonna stand there all day or am I gonna have to eat your ramen too?"

Naruto noticed a steaming bowl of beef ramen sitting in the empty spot next to the sannin.

"I…Is that for me?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Do you see anyone else with here?" Jiraiya smirked, his head turning and facing Naruto, giving him a wide grin.

Naruto cautiously sat down and examined his ramen carefully, checking for anything suspicious.

After concluding his little investigation, Naruto broke apart his chopsticks and dug in.

Jiraiya just chuckled at Naruto's attitude. He acted more like his dad than he thought.

When Naruto was about half way through his free bowl of ramen Jiraiya decided to get the hard part over with.

"Ready for the chūnin exam?"

Naruto choked on his noodles and bumped a fist against his chest to get them down.

"Are you kidding? I'm going to own everyone!" He shouted proudly.

Teuchi shock his head and smiled at his best customer's enthusiasm.

"I don't think so kid. You have a sword you probably only wear for show and from what the third told me, a few useless jutsu."

"Useless?" Now Naruto and the fox were insulted.

Sure Naruto had made the sexy jutsu out of curiosity and fun but it was far from useless on adults, not to mention the "Foxes Claw" the Kyuubi had taught him.

Then again, that was one jutsu he could use against older and perverse men and one flashy but chakra costly jutsu.

"I can too use this thing!" Pointing to his sword, "…and I have good jutsu I just…need more of them." Naruto said, his pride dropping a little.

"That's what I thought." Jiraiya sighed.

"What would you know about it anyway old man?" Naruto shot back.

"Old man? You think I'm…" Jiraiya's eye twitched.

He jumped off his stool and into the middle of the empty street, biting his thumb and slamming the same hand down on the floor.

"Mt. Myōboku-gama's holy master sennin, also known as the toad sennin, Jiraiya!" Jiraiya shouted out as he stood proudly atop an orange toad taller than Naruto.

Naruto just sat and stared at the old man with a blank expression on his face.

Jiraiya was frozen on top of the toad, waiting for the applause he expected.

"What an idiot."

Jiraiya fell off his toad and the floor introduced itself to his face.

"You little brat!" Jiraiya shouted, scrambling back to his feet.

"Well that has to be the stupidest intro I've ever seen." Naruto reasoned.

Jiraiya just grabbed Naruto by his collar and pulled him out of the bar disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Respect your elders ya stupid genin, and go get ya stuff."

He let go of Naruto's collar and Naruto dropped to the ground in front of his apartment.

"Wah? How did?" Naruto began.

"I'm not called a sannin for nothing you know." Jiraiya smiled. "Hurry up, we don't have long before we leave.

"What? Where are we going?" Naruto asked curiously. First he pranks the guy then he gets chased all over Konoha, next he's getting free ramen from the guy, now they're going somewhere?

"I'm going on an 'S' rank mission, you are coming with me so I can teach you some respect…maybe a jutsu or two if you're lucky."

Naruto needed no more persuasion.

He shot off like a bullet into his apartment, leaving an after image behind and a small patch of smoke.

Jiraiya chuckled and looked around.

Ramen cups lay around the room in everyplace you looked, a bright orange top lay across the table next to a bowl of milky liquid which was probably milk at one point. He didn't dare sniff and see.

"All right I'm ready!" Naruto exclaimed as he dashed out of his room carrying a medium sized backpack.

"You actually live here?"

"Yea, what's wrong with it?" Naruto asked, looking around as though the mess were nothing.

"Never mind, just hire a maid or something when we get back." Jiraiya sighed.

The duo left the apartment with Jiraiya saying he'll wait at the gate.

Naruto quickly locked up, reached into his pocket and pinned a white letter on his door with a shuriken.

"Yosh!" He smiled and jumped after Jiraiya.

* * *

"Tenten!" A voice called out.

Tenten was just leaving her shop and was locking up.

"Kiba? What's up?" She turned to face the brown haired boy and pup.

Kiba ran up to her with a worried look on his face.

"Have you seen Naruto around? I asked him to check on Hinata last night and he never came back."

"Er…no sorry Kiba. In fact, Naruto was supposed to train with me today…" Tenten glanced around solemnly.

"Oh yea!" Kiba reached into his coat suddenly. "Here." He handed a small white envelope to Tenten with her name on it.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It was on Naruto's front door when I checked his house. It had your name on it so I thought you might know where he is."

Tenten opened the letter and quickly read through it:

"Tenten,

The new sword is fine, it's much sharper than my old one and I promise to polish it often. Me and this old guy, Jiraiya, are going on a mission so I can't make training for a bit. I'm sorry but I promise to make it up to you when I get back. Whatever you want, 'kay?

Naruto-chan."

Tenten folded the letter in half and pocketed it.

"Well? What did it say?" Kiba asked.

"He won't be back for a bit…" She replied a little sadly, looking toward the main gate.

* * *

Naruto was just leaving the gate next, walking alongside the legendary toad sannin when he sneezed.

"Heh, some girl must be thinking of you Naruto." Jiraiya teased.

"Can't be." Naruto said simply, his head held high.

"Oh?"

"If it was…" Naruto turned and smiled brightly at the aging old man. "I would never stop sneezing!"

Jiraiya reached out and messed up Naruto's hair.

"Yea, yea, I'm sure kid."

The duo continued down the road, turning left after a few miles then right after a few more, Naruto keeping usually quiet.

"When are you gonna teach me a new jutsu?" he suddenly blurted out, an angry look pasted over his face.

"Calm down kid, we got a job to do first." Jiriaya said sighing. "If you prove useful, I'll definitely teach you something useful."

"Aw man," Naruto groaned. "Fine then, what's the mission?"

Jiraiya smirked with a sinister twinkle in his eye.

"We're going to capture a missing ninja…" He began, he watched the look of excitement grow in Naruto's eyes at his every word. "…his name is Zabuza Momochi."

* * *

A/N: Right, that should be a good ending. Well, good enough to annoy you all anyway. If I have, my goal is complete. Sorry for the late update, college isn't quiiiite finished yet but it will be soon. I'm also moving this Tuesday and I won't have any internet till the 10th of July so I won't be able to upload anything till then :/

Review people, good reviews mean happy me and happy me equals more chapters.

Keep reading!

Ja Ne!


	11. Chapter 11

**The New Naruto**

Thanks to all who reviewed, summer is finally here and everyone has a lot more free time on their hands, including me, so here we go, Chapter 11, enjoy!

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

* * *

**Chapter 11 - Summoning Old "Friends"**

The air was heavy with smoke, the light was dull and the customers looked half dead.

A small bell tinkled as light flooded the room. Several customers looked up then shut their eyes at the light intrusion.

A tall figure with one half his size entered the dusty bar, closing the door behind them.

The white haired figure walked up to the bar and took a stool with his follower plopping right next to him.

Many of the customers eyed the mysterious duo, checking out everything about them.

"Excuse me?"

The bar man looked up, the taller figure was gesturing him over. The old retired ninja turned bar man hobbled over on his good leg before hunching over where the man sat.

"Yea?" he asked, his voice low as to not disturb the "peace" in the bar.

"We're looking for a few fugitives, you wouldn't have happened to see him around?" The white haired man kept his voice low whilst pulling a picture of one Zabuza Momochi from his right pocket, and in his left, a handsome sum of Ryo.

The bar man eyed the Ryo and swiftly pocketed it before taking a closer look at the picture.

"Hmmm, this guy looks familiar. Why would you be huntin' him?" He asked suspiciously.

The white haired man glanced around, his yellow haired friend doing the same before returning to the conversation.

"We've been sent to stop him from destroying this town." The bar man flinched.

'Got him.' The yellow haired kid thought.

"Yea, he's bringing a small mercenary group to raid this town and kill anyone inside. So any information you could give would be crucial to saving this town and this…"quaint" little bar." The white haired man finished.

The bar man now gestured the pair towards the back door.

The white haired man nodded. He and his yellow haired friend promptly exited the bar and head round the back.

The bar man walked out of the back followed by several strong looking men.

"You think you can swagger into my bar and try to trick me into giving up valuable information?" He called out, six strong men now surrounding him, three on each side. "Leaf shinobi aren't welcome around these parts. Boys, show 'em our hospitality."

Four of the men quickly jumped forward, three lunging at the old man whilst the other went for the kid.

"Oh boy not this again." The white haired man sighed.

"You know how to pick 'em, don't you Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto smiled, performing a frequently used hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Seven more Naruto burst from the smoke.

Four hoped over the men whilst the other three and Naruto rushed them, striking them in the belly.

The men were winded and forced back, into the clones waiting fists hitting them in the spine, sending them into a world of darkness.

The bar man took a step back.

"You two! Get 'em!" He shouted as he tried to run away.

The two remaining men flashed through some hand signs.

"Earth Style: Earth Pistol!" One of them men shouted. A chunk of earth rose up in front of him like a column.

"Fire Style: Burning Furnace!" The other shouted, making a ring round his mouth and blowing.

Jiraiya grabbed the real Naruto's collar and turned his back to the fight.

The man standing in front of the mound of earth punched his fist forward. A piece of earth from the top broke off and flew towards Jiraiya. It passed through the air the other man had blown and melted mid-flight, turning into a flying piece of lava.

The remaining Naruto jumped in the way, the lava cutting through them like butter but they'd slowed it down.

Jiraiya jumped up, pulling Naruto with him as the lava glob missed his clog by inches.

The men watched him dodge and performed the same action again, using his fist to line up the target.

Several more shots flew Jiraiya's way as he flew through the air and landed on the building above, each missing.

Jiraiya dropped Naruto on the roof, out of harms way before running along it.

He saw the bar man below and quickly jumped out in front of him.

The bar man jumped with fright before turning to run again, only to find himself being lifted up off the ground, held protectively in front of Jiraiya.

"Fire that this way and your boss is toast, not me." he shouted down to the men.

The air became cooler as the two released their jutsu.

Naruto jumped off the roof and landed between them, punching them on the way, their heads hitting the wall and knocking them out.

"Now, you're gonna tell me everything you know about Zabuza!" Jiraiya said sternly to the bar man, lifting him higher off the ground.

He could feel his collar getting tighter the longer he waited.

"Ok alright!" He quickly gasped. "He was here a few days ago! Him and this boy walked into the bar and had a few drinks before a strange mist appeared. When it cleared the two were gone! That's all I know, I swear!"

Jiraiya quickly dropped the man and turned to Naruto.

"We're getting closer." He smiled.

Naruto grinned back, walking up to his new teacher.

Shouts could be heard from the bar. The duo turned to look as the back door burst open, angry customers awaiting their booze poured out.

"Hey! They doing summin to Jack!" One shouted out.

"Assault!" Another cried out.

"Looks like it's time to go Naruto!" Jiraiya blurted out nervously before disappearing, leaving the outline of himself.

"Hey! Wait up old man!" Naruto shouted out before hurrying after his sensei, leaving the same dusty after image.

Angry customers and town police quickly chased them out of the village with various weapons.

"Hurry up Naruto or I'll leave you behind." Jiraiya joked as a pitchfork whizzed past him.

Naruto fumed as he ran along side him.

"This is all your fault! This is the fouth village we've had to leave like this. Out of four!" Naruto shouted back at him as the duo sprinted out the village under the wooden "Welcome" sign that stood at the east of the town.

The angry villagers stopped at the sign and just shouted at the leaf ninja as the fled into the forest, their backs to the setting sun.

* * *

Naruto stopped at a small stream, scooping some water into his mouth and washing the sweat off his face.

"Can't we at least get some food or something before we ask people where a dangerous ninja is?" Naruto reasoned, plopping down on a large rock.

Jiraiya was just leaning back on a nearby tree with his arms folded.

"Heh, ninja should be able to go for days on little sustenance like me." He smirked.

Naruto just scowled, and looked into the water, watching a leaf float downstream.

"When are you gonna teach me some new jutsu anyway?" Naruto blurted out.

Jiraiya sighed and unfolded his arms, pushing himself off the tree.

"Alright kid. You wanna learn a new jutsu?" A flick of his left thumb and blood was in his plam. Boar, dog, bird, monkey, ram. "Summoning Justu!" Jiraiya shouted out, slamming his left hand down on the ground with a weird sealing pattern emerging from underneath it. Naruto looked on as a cloud of smoke erupted and dispersed revealing Jiraiya's usual orange and black toad companion, this time it had a big scroll in it's mouth.

"Yea, what do you think of that!" Jiraiya asked smugly, sitting on top of the toad.

"Is that the biggest you can go?" Naruto replied, seeing the same toad for the third time.

Jiraiya flinched.

"Bigger isn't always better Naruto." Jiraiya laughed. "My most powerful combination is with two toads smaller than this." Pointing to the toad he sat upon.

Naruto raised an eyebrow as smoke engulfed the toad and Jiraiya walked out, unfurling the scroll taken from the toad's mouth.

"All summons require a contract to be made with the creature you wish to summon." Jiraiya unrolled the contract in front of Naruto on rock he was perched upon. "This contract here is for the toads."

Naruto leaned over and examined the last few names, the end two being Jiraiya himself and the fourth hokage, Minato Namikaze.

"You actually persuaded the fourth to sign this?" Naruto asked, stunned.

Jiraiya smacked him lightly but firmly on the head.

"Baka! He asked me himself if he could sign it." Jiraiya retorted, leaning back and gazing up at the sky, chuckling. "That yellow haired menace embarrassed me more times than I can count because he signed this."

Naruto looked at the old hermit with a little admiration. It seems he had a soft spot for the fourth.

"What was he like?" Naruto asked politely. He'd heard much about the fourth's greatness but not much about him as a person.

Jiraiya laughed loudly.

"He was like you." Jiraiya turned and gave Naruto a genuine smile filled with kindness. "Honourable, creative, powerful and an annoying brat of a student."

Naruto was taken aback at the annoying part then the last words hit him.

"He was your student?"

"Of course, you don't think I'd let just anyone sign this thing did you?" Jiraiya smiled, pointing to the contract.

Naruto once again looked down at the contract, gazing at the fourth's name then Jiraiya's. Both were renown for being powerful ninja, one a sannin, the other one of the Hokage.

"Yosh." Naruto bellowed, "I'll sign it too then!"

"**Really? This I gotta see!**" The fox decided to make it's presence known. Naruto just ignored the fox for now.

"Great, all you have to do is sign your name in blood and underneath each of you fingerprints from the same hand and you're good to go."

Naruto bit the tip of his right thumb and wrote his name in blood before pressing each of his fingers onto the bottom of the fresh space to finish the signing.

"Good, now these are the signs…" Jiraiya held up his hands to demonstrate. Narutowatched intently then quickly finished his own, slamming his right hand down on the floor like Jiraiya.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He called out. A large wave of smoke appeared.

Jiraiya's mouth opened slightly in anticipation.

The wind picked up, blowing away the smoke to reveal a small orange toad with purple stripes along it's: belly, eyebrows, eyes and mouth with a blue jacket on.

"Yo." He said simply, raising his right hand in greeting.

Naruto face faulted, he couldn't even summon one half as big as Jiraiya.

Jiraiya however was contemplating the situation, he thought for sure he'd have to weaken Naruto's chakra down so the foxes more powerful chakra could summon something.

The fox was at this time, laughing in his cage.

'Shut up! Baka fox!' Naruto thought angrily.

"The names Gamakichi." The toad introduced itself before turning to Naruto. "So what do ya need?"

Jiraiya smiled at the young toad.

"You're all I could summon?" Naruto sighed. "Well, nothing right now I guess…"

The toad looked visibly annoyed at this.

"Fine then, just holla if ya need me." He said before bursting into smoke.

Jiraiya laughed and removed a scroll from his pocket.

"We may as well set up camp, we still have a lot of walking to do if we're gonna catch up to this guy." Jiraiya said, whipping the scroll out as bits and pieces of campsite burst out of the seals.

"All right Naruto, you get building, I'm gonna catch some…" Jiraiay began but Naruto was already finishing a set of hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He called out again.

Another poof of smoke and another toad was summoned. This time it was bigger…in the waist department. This frog was bright yellow with orange stripes in similar places as Gamakichi but had its underarms and legs coloured a dark grey-green sort of colour.

"This is the first time anyone's ever summoned me! It's Gamatatsu's turn at getting a chance to shine!" It shouted proudly.

Naruto sweat dropped as the small toad looked around, confused.

"Hey, where're the bad guys at?" He asked, seeing no one before turning to Naruto.

"Damn it!" Naruto just shouted to the sky.

Jiraiya chuckled and called over to the toad.

"He's just practising. If you leave, get ready to be summoned by this kid for a few years before he get's the hang of it."

Naruto fumed at Jiraiya whilst the toad looked at the floor a little sadly.

"Awww, and here I thought I could get some snacks for this." He muttered before disappearing in a burst of smoke.

"If your gonna keep practising that, go away and practise. I don't want your "training" messing up my beauty sleep." Jiraiya teased with a half stern voice.

Naruto just gave the old man an angry glare, before opening his mouth to say something, quickly deciding against it, turning, and heading off into the trees behind him.

Jiraiya watched as he disappeared through the brush.

'That kid's gonna make one heck of a shinobi…' he thought, grinning smuggly. '…then all the girls will praise me, his teacher…' His thoughts turned perverse.

The sannin turned his back to the trees and greeted an unmade camp.

"Damn kid, making me do all the work…" He grumbled, quickly setting to work making his own tent.

* * *

"Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto shouted out again, his voice croaking due to the strain of shouting the same line over and over again.

This time, a larger cloud of smoke erupted in front of the blonde genin.

He quickly looked up in excitement.

"Yo."

"Damn it!" Naruto shouted out.

The orange toad quickly took the hint and scarpered, a smaller puff of smoke accompanying him.

Naruto was kneeling on the floor, his hands holding his body up off the ground. He was panting heavily, his chakra was running low.

He'd found a small clearing in which to practise. Small oak trees surrounded him and the dark green grass was soft enough to sleep on.

Naruto clenched his hands, clutching some dirt and grass blades as he pushed himself back up onto a kneeling position.

His hands went through the hands signs again: Boar, dog, bird, monkey, tiger…

Naruto slammed his hand on the floor, giving off a weak cry of summoning jutsu only for nothing to happen.

"**Wrong sign kit…**" The fox murmured.

Naruto rolled over onto his back, panting heavily.

"I…Know…" He gasped.

He reached over for his water bottle and drank the remaining liquid inside. It wasn't much.

"**Get back to the old man. No more can be accomplished by pushing yourself this far.**" the Kyuubi scolded.

'What about your chakra?' Naruto thought, to tired to speak.

"**Your arm muscles are already at their limit. I could give you my chakra but you'll only end up breaking your body even more and I won't fix it.**" The fox reasoned before turning his nose up proudly.

'I guess your right…' Naruto thought back.

He just lay there, spread out gasping for a minute or two before gathering what was left of his energy.

His back arched, his legs bent to stand. Naruto hoisted himself to his feet.

Naruto's eye sight darkened. The momentum from his rise led to his fall as he fell flat down onto the ground face first. The impact hurt but Naruto was already off in the world of slumber.

* * *

Two dark figures glided over the earth, each leaving no footprint nor trace they had ever been there bar the dark cloaks that flew behind them. Their hair and bodies were engulfed by these cloaks, leaving a lot to the imagination.

Not five minutes had past since Naruto hit the floor as the figures were met with the sight of the blonde, unconscious ninja.

"Hey, look who it is." The taller of the two spoke in a deep voice.

The smaller one gasped. The taller one knelt and checked the blonde's vital signs.

"He's still breathing." He muttered.

The smaller one let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

The taller figure grabbed Naruto round the waist and hauled him up onto his right shoulder, glancing down at the repeated hand prints on the floor.

"Seems as though we'll have a guest joining us for breakfast." The taller chuckled.

Without a word, the duo quickly hurried on, their cloaks whipping around them. As they moved, a glint of silver could be seen under the taller one's cloak.

* * *

Night was here and the moon helped illuminate the half made campsite.

Jiraiya was kicking back and relaxing in front of the fire he'd made, one leg folded over the other with a twig and marshmallow roasting over the fire between his toes.

"Man, how long is that kid gonna take?" He asked himself as he stared up at the night sky, full of stars.

"You'dda thought that kid would've run out of steam by now, even with his chakra level." He said to himself. "Any minute now he's gonna come swaggering through those trees, eat my marshmallows and try to make me put up his tent."

Another hour past and the bag of marshmallows emptied. The moon was now right above Jiraiya signalling midnight or sometime close to it.

'He's probably run out of chakra if he hasn't come back by now.' Jiraiya thought. He pushed himself up to a sitting position and flashed through the summoning signs before slamming his hand down on the ground.

A small puff of smoke later and a small orange toad was lying on his back, his eyes closed and a large nose bubble present.

"Oi." Jiraiya nudged the toad.

The nose bubble popped and the toad awoke, quickly jumping to it's feet and looking around.

"Oh it's just you." He muttered.

"When did Naruto last summon you?" Jiraiya asked politely but with a hint of worry in his voice.

"The blonde? That was ages ago, last time he summoned me, he looked ready to collapse." Gamakichi explained.

Jiraiya nodded and dismissed the toad before checking the campsite quickly for anything he would mind getting stolen before taking off into the trees Naruto had walked through earlier.

* * *

The sound of a crackling fire pieced the silence. A dim orange invaded the darkness in Naruto's closed eyes. The sound of light footsteps and the light was gone.

Naruto's senses were returning to him slowly.

He opened his eyes slowly. A lighter darkness greeted him fuzzily and what looked like the dark inside of a tent.

A soft voice called out to him.

"Are you ok?"

Naruto went perfectly still, he recognised that voice.

A hand reached out with a wet cloth and dabbed at his head.

Naruto could feel the cold sensation running through his body. He quickly turned and came face to face with an old friend.

"Hi…Naruto."

"Hello…Haku." Naruto blushed. Haku was kneeling by Naruto's side, holding the damp washcloth over now wet hair.

She quickly withdrew the washcloth from Naruto's head and gave him an honest, kind smile. Naruto quickly pushed himself into a sitting position and returned the smile in the form of the grin as the two hugged tightly.

"It's good to see you again…Naruto."

"Yea, you too Haku."

They broke the hug and Naruto could look at Haku properly for the first time in a while.

She had ditched the tomboyish hairdo and the kimono. Now she had he hair loose around her shoulders, her clothes were now a soft pink, short sleeve top with a black and yellow flower design along the arms. A similarly coloured short skirt adorned her lower half, coming just above the kneecaps with light brown sandals finishing off the outfit.

"Wow, you've really changed." Naruto exclaimed.

Haku giggled softly, she was giving Naruto a look over too, his arms had gotten bigger. It wasn't hard to miss seeing as he wasn't wearing his black and orange jacket.

"Well since Zabuza found out about me, I decided to wear something more "me"." Haku said.

"I can hear you ya know." A deep voice called out from outside the tent.

Haku giggled while Naruto's eyes went wide.

He pushed himself up and crawled over to the tent flap, moving it aside to see Zabuza settled around a small camp fire with his Kubikiri Hōchō impaled in the ground next to him.

Zabuza's look had changed too; Naruto could see his ninja trousers were no longer grey camouflage but jet black, his shirt was now long sleeved and bore green camouflage with his sandals still retained the grey camouflage travelling halfway up to his knee. His head band had remained in the same position, with the metal Kirigakure symbol on the left side of his forehead, while the bandages he wore around his face hung around his neck, loose.

"Hey kid!" Zabuza smirked, his pointy teeth glistening in the firelight. "Nice boxers."

Naruto looked down and just realised he was only dressed in his black t-shirt and bright white boxers.

"Gah!" He moved to cover himself with both arms as the tent flap thankfully fell back into place. He quickly turned and scanned for the rest of his outfit.

"Here…" Haku's voice rang out. She had turned her gaze to a corner of the tent with a bright red blush on her face, both arms holding out Naruto's clothes and gear.

He took it graciously and Haku quickly hurried out the tent.

Outside, Zabuza was laughing quietly to himself as the still red Haku told him to shut it, sitting beside her guardian.

Shortly after, Naruto emerged from the tent fully dressed, his own face harbouring a small blush of embarrassment, before sitting opposite the missing nin.

"How'd I get here?" Naruto asked simply.

Zabuza chuckled,

"We brought you here of course. You looked ready to die when we found you, all passed out with no chakra."

The memory came back to Naruto.

"Oh yea…why?"

"Well it…uh…" Zabuza awkwardly started. He didn't want to admit he missed the kid a little, not to mention his influence on Haku.

"I couldn't leave you lying there…Naruto." Haku finished for him.

Naruto flashed her a smile and she lightly blushed.

Zabuza smiled at the scene before decided to ask Naruto about his new gear.

"Seems you think your ready to fight for real now, eh kid?" Zabuza asked, glancing and Naruto's short sword.

Naruto took the hint and looked at his sword for a moment before drawing it and holding it out horizontally for them to examine.

"My friend back in Konoha." He began, "She taught me about correct stances and timing. We made this together after the second exam."

The firelight danced over the blade, making it shimmer as the fox head on the hilt looked ready to strike.

Haku gazed at the blade with awe as Zabuza admired it's quality workmanship.

"That's a fine blade you got. Shame it can't stand up to mine." Zabuza teased.

Surprisingly, Naruto admitted defeat.

"That's to be expected…" He began. "…After all, I've only been training a little while…" His eyes met Zabuza's. "…but don't underestimate me."

Naruto released a little killer intent and Zabuza matched it.

Needless to say, Zabuza did understand the power behind Naruto's words. He had underestimated the kid back on the bridge and he'd almost lost Haku to him. He knew now that Naruto would never do such a thing, he had taken Haku in a different way.

"So what are you doing out here anyway Naruto?" Haku asked.

Naruto wore a blank look on his face, trying to remember.

"Oh yea!" He shouted out. "Me and this perv were looking for you two."

Zabuza and Haku looked taken aback before mentally readying themselves to defend.

"Hmmm and why's that?" Zabuza asked cautiously, his hand twitched a little closer to his sword.

Crack!

A branch snapped and leaves rustled as the clear sound of a something falling through the trees was heard behind the missing nin.

In a flash, Zabuza had grabbed his sword and whirled around to face whomever was behind them while Haku had lunged for Naruto, twisting his arm behind his back and lifting him to his feet, readying a senbon at his neck.

"Ah Haku? What the hell?" Naruto protested.

"Be ready Haku!" Zabuza barked at her.

A whistling in the air was heard.

Thunk, Thunk!

Two kunai landed at Zabuza's feet, a small white piece of cloth tied between them.

"Huh?" he muttered confused, redoubling his grip on his blade with both hands.

"Time out!" A voice called out.

Naruto raised his head, trying to spot whoever was the cause of this commotion.

Between Zabuza's legs, he could make out a large white and red blob.

"My bad! Didn't mean to scare you like that!" A familiar voice called out.

"You pervy-teme!" Naruto shouted.

Jiraiya walked towards the trio, his arms up in surrender.

Zabuza called back to Naruto.

"You know this guy?"

"Yea…" Naruto replied, clenching his teeth, "…he's my sensei."

Zabuza let out a breath of relief but kept up his guard.

"Sorry about that." Jiraiya apologized, his left arm now rubbing the back of his neck in a Naruto-like fashion. "The branch broke." He laughed quietly.

"Why are you here!" Zabuza kept his stance stiff but loose enough to flow and dodge if needs be.

Jiraiya stuck his head to the side and glanced over at Naruto.

"You didn't tell them?"

Naruto was still stuck in Haku's arm lock, not trying to escape.

"I was about to before you burst in!" Naruto yelled angrily back at his teacher.

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here!" Zabuza demanded.

Jiraiya stopped walking toward the ex-mist nin, stopping a good fifteen feet away.

"As my baka of a student failed to explain." Jiraiya began with protest from Naruto heard in the background, "We've come to make you an offer."

Zabuza's ears pricked up at this.

"…What kind of offer?…" He asked cautiously.

"One that will get ANBU off you back." Jiraiya whispered, just loud enough for all four to hear.

Haku tensed herself at this bit of information.

Naruto picked up on this and made a note to ask about it later.

"I take it we have a ninja's truce?" Zabuza asked the sannin.

"Until this conversation is over, yes." Jiraiya replied.

Both Naruto and Haku were confused, neither of them had heard of a "ninja's truce".

Zabuza lowered his blade and stepped out of his stance. Without turning to look he called out to his partner.

"Haku."

"Hai?"

"Take Naruto and go play for a while. The grown-ups are gonna talk."

Haku released Naruto's arm and re-holstered her senbon.

"Hai, Zabuza-sensei." She knew this was business and acted accordingly.

Naruto was rubbing his arm as the feeling of pins and needles left.

"Geez Haku, you didn't have to be so mean." He complained childishly.

Without a word, Haku grabbed his sleeve and pulled him off into the trees behind the older ninja.

"So…Shall we begin? Jiraiya of the sannin."

* * *

The young ninja walked through the trees. Naruto occasionally pushing branches or leaves away for him and Haku accompanied by thanks from the latter.

"Sorry again for hurting you…Naruto-kun." Haku apologized.

Naruto waved it off.

"I told you it's fine." He reasoned, "I probably would have done the same.

Haku smiled, reassured at Naruto's kindness.

"What do you think they're talking about?" She asked Naruto casually.

"Heh, Jiraiya-sensei's gonna ask you guys about joining us." Naruto grinned proudly.

"Joining?"

"Yea, as in the hidden leaf."

Haku's brain worker furiously to fight several thoughts at once. The thought of being able to live in peace in a village. To be able to live like a normal person again. To…see Naruto everyday. Her brain was fighting these thoughts for the hidden deception they might contain as well as the blush from the final thought.

"Hey, you ok?" Naruto asked, waving a hand in front of her eyes.

Haku blinked and shook of the momentary brain crash to see they had stopped near the edge of a cliff.

Several rocks were arranged around the edge with some jutting out into open air. The biggest rock of all stuck out over the cliff a good ten feet with the moon currently balancing on its tip.

"Come on!" Naruto grinned and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the big rock.

Stunned at first, Haku kept up with the young blonde, running up along the rock before standing on the edge, staring out into the night sky, the moon encasing their forms.

"Beautiful…" Haku gasped, her breath taken away.

She carefully looked over the edge of the rock and saw just how far up they were; at least a good five hundred feet or so.

She grabbed onto Naruto's jacket with her free hand and gripped his hand tighter.

Naruto smiled kindly as he carefully helped her sit down with him, their legs hanging out over the edge of the rock.

"Naruto?"

"Yea?"

"What…um…" Haku started, "What do you think would happen to me?"

Naruto looked confused for a second before she explained further.

"I didn't belong to a village but Zabuza took me in. If… If whatever deal their making does let us join the leaf…what would happen to me?"

She looked up at Naruto, their eyes meeting. She stared into Naruto's crystal blue orbs and waited for his response.

"I dunno." He sighed. That was not what she was expecting. "I guess you would be free to become a Konoha kunoichi if you wanted."

"But what if they don't want me." Haku replied, panic invading her voice. "What if they only want Zabuza and not me."

Naruto looked into Haku's shining, brown eyes, the moon reflected in the slight tears that were threatening to break free.

"I guess I'll just have to keep you." Naruto smiled. "If they don't want you living in the village, you can live with me. Hell, most people don't want me in the village but they haven't kicked me out yet." He gave her one of his best smiles. A rare genuine Naruto smile.

Haku calmed down a bit at this. At least Naruto would stand by her.

A hand reached out and pulled her closer.

Naruto was rubbing her shoulder gently in reassurance as her head rest on his.

The couple sat there for a while, admiring the sight of the nearly full moon in front of them begin to sink below the earth once more.

Haku pulled away from Naruto's shoulder slightly and turned to face Naruto.

Naruto looked down at Haku's gentle face. They were only mere inches apart.

Haku closed her eyes and leaned forward slightly, her lips moving towards Naruto's.

Naruto copied, closing his eyes and moved his face to meet hers.

The distance closed as the two met, their lips interlocked as they both experienced their first kiss.

The moonlight bathed the couple as Naruto and Haku pulled apart, their hearts both beating rapidly before turning away from each other in embarrassment.

Naruto's free hand found Haku's as he held it gently.

She returned the gesture as their gaze both returned to the other, both moving in for their second kiss of the night.

* * *

"You better not be deceiving me "pervy-teme"." Zabuza growled as his hand gripped Jiraiya's own, shaking it once before releasing.

Jiraiya smiled.

"Is that anyway to refer to you new best friend?"

Zabuza chuckled deeply.

"Friend? We'll just see…" he muttered before reaching for his long black cloak.

"Are we setting off immediately?"

"Yea, Naruto left behind an important girl back in Konoha. I'm sure he'd want to get back there quickly." Jiraiya beamed.

"I'm sure Haku will have something to say about that."

"Hmm?"

"Let's just say Naruto's influence changed her for the better, she's become rather fond of him." Zabuza explained.

"Really? Well, it seems Naruto has a way with the ladies. I must note this down…" Jiraiya's hands flew to his pockets before coming up with a black notebook and pencil, jotting something down in it's pages.

"I hope you won't be using him for any of your…research." Zabuza said menacingly.

Jiraiya flinched.

"No! Of course not! Why would I do something like that?"

"If I find out you've been using him, or Haku, there won't be a safe place on earth for you to hide."

Jiraiya quickly pocketed his notebook and whistled a random tune nonchalantly.

"Good to see we have an understanding." Zabuza sent a little killer intent at a specific area of Jiriaya.

The sannin felt it but did not dare risk even a joke.

"Everything's ok?" A voice behind them called out.

The elder ninja turned to see the younger generation stepping out from the bushes, both a little flushed and smiling.

"Yeah, it seems we're going to be moving Haku. Pack your things."

The girl instantly set about, collecting her stuff, her flushed look gone in an instant while Naruto walked over to Jiraiya.

"So what's going on pervy sage?" Naruto asked.

An anger mark popped up on Jiraiya's head.

"Now we're not in a delicate situation." He cracked his knuckles.

Smack!

"Don't call me that!" Jiraiya stood over Naruto, his head partially buried.

Haku quickly dropped what she was doing and hurried to Naruto's side, helping him back up an rubbing his forehead where Jiraiya hit him.

Zabuza raised an eyebrow at this but made no comment.

"Instead of hitting me, this conversation could've been over already!" Naruto yelled back.

Jiraiya just glared at Naruto but gave in.

"Everything has been agreed on. We're going back to the leaf village!"

* * *

A/N: Sorry this chappy took a little while. I know it's a bit short compared to several other chapters but at least it's something. This story is already 70k of words and hopefully it'll go well over a hundred thousand considering the story of just the original series left to go :P.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, this chapters out now so get reviewing people.

The internet peoples are coming over on the 24th, not the 10th as mother dearest predicted so nets won't be up at home till then at least, sorry guys.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the NaruHaku moment there. I'd love to get some feed back on that please, free cookies to all who review :D

Keep Reading pplz!


	12. Chapter 12

**The New Naruto**

Yay! Lots more review, this chapter is out so go nuts people! Just a quick note, if anyone reading has seen the new "Last Airbender" movie, I wish to say that I'm sorry for us. Worst movie EVER!

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Naruto returns with a bang**

The moon had faded and disappeared over the horizon as the small group made their way through the forest.

The trees barely rustled as they jumped from branch to branch making only a small amount of noise comparable to a small flock of birds.

A small dirt road appeared below them as the group dropped down into the middle of it.

"Finally!" Naruto groaned as his feet touched solid ground. "How much further Jiraiya-sensei?"

The sannin smirked as he looked down the road both ways.

"Nearly there Naruto, we can take it easy from here." Jiraiya replied, his hand checking his scroll was still attached.

Zabuza and Haku stayed silent, both were cautious about the upcoming event; entering a hidden village.

"That reminds me. Zabuza…" Jiraiya began, Zabuza turned his attention toward him. "I'll need your sword and any weapons you might be carrying."

The mist nin looked visibly shocked, he rarely parted with his blade and when he did it never left his sight nor was it left in anyone's care bar Haku's.

Zabuza muttered something unapproving before reluctantly removing the blade from his back, the hilt from his side and handing them over to the sannin before detaching the kunai holster hidden on the inside of his black cloak.

Jiraiya drew a blank scroll and inscribed some seals before sealing the weapons inside.

"What about you young missy?" Jiraiya asked Haku, his voice changing from the calm serious one to one of playfulness he normally put on around women.

"I do not carry such things with me. The only weapons I need are my hands." Jiraiya's eyes grew wide.

"That means she isn't carrying any!" Naruto yelled at his teacher who quickly turned his attention from Haku to his own annoying student.

"I know that ya brat!" He shouted back at Naruto.

Strangely, Naruto didn't flinch at his teachers close up shouted response. He just stood with his arms crossed glaring hard at the sage.

Jiraiya quickly regained his composure and rolled up the scroll, pocketing it before he began walking left, what the missing nin guessed was the direction of the leaf village.

* * *

Jiraiya led the way, a few meters ahead of the rest of the group with Haku, Zabuza and Naruto walking behind in a line.

Haku and Naruto were talking to each other while Zabuza kept his eyes focused on Jiraiya's pocket.

"…Wow, so you must be training hard for the third exam." Haku admired as Naruto enlightened her to his activities and battles in the chūnin exams.

"Believe it! Jiraiya-sensei even taught me this cool summoning Jutsu but I can't summon much yet." Naruto replied a little downheartedly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get it." Haku reassured him.

"So what about you?" Naruto asked.

Haku looked taken aback before she realised what he meant.

"Oh erm… I've learnt a few new things too." She replied, her gaze averted from Naruto's own as she thought back to the jutsu she'd learned.

"Cool, when can I see 'em?" Naruto asked, excitement heavy in his voice.

Haku was about to reply when Jiraiya cut in.

"Look Naruto, we're almost home," He pointed ahead and sure enough, the Hokage mountain was visable in the distance. "How about you wait till we get everything sorted out before you talk about training."

Naruto crossed his arms and glared angrily at Jiraiya's back. He accepted Jiraiya's statement but he didn't have to like it.

Haku watched the pouting Natruto and giggled quietly, raising her hand just in front of her mouth as she did.

* * *

Konoha approached and the group was forced to deal with the guards at the front entrance, check in was always dull.

Haku and Zabuza were hanging back a little, hesitant to go closer to the gates or guards than they needed to be. Naruto noticed this and gave Haku a reassuring smile before nudging his head toward the village.

"Jiraiya and Naruto returning from a mission." Jiraiya announced as he stepped up to the little kiosk-like desk.

It was not Naruto's favourite chūnin pair but a white eyed Hyūga chūnin with hair similar to Neji's and what looked like a nervous new chūnin fumbling with his records.

"Er… right, if you could just…um…sign here please." The newbie stuggled as the Hyūga just scoffed at his incompetence.

"What a dobe…" Naruto's ear's perked up at the Hyūga's words. "…you have already failed to notice that they are accompanying two foreign ninja." He scolded harshly.

"Er…right, sorry." The chūnin muttered, he leant over to look behind the old sannin. "If I could ask you to sign your names please…"

The Hyūga sighed again.

"Baka."

Naruto felt a little anger rise to the surface.

Haku and Zabuza both looked at each other, both unable to figure out how to act.

A loud laugh pierced the safeguard silence.

"Don't worry, they're fine." Jiraiya smiled at the nervous chūnin as he signed both his and Naruto's names in while grabbing a couple of white slips. "They're with me on a diplomatic mission."

"Oh, I see." The Hyūga responded. "I wondered why they weren't in cuffs."

Jiraiya now turned his attention to the stuck up Hyūga.

"The high and mighty Hyūga decides to judge someone on appearance." He said sarcastically. "Like that hasn't been done before. I would change your attitude towards others if you want to become a good ninja."

The Hyūga flinched in his chair as Jiraiya turned back to the newbie.

"What's your name son?"

"Er…Brock sir, Tsuchi Brock."

"Hehe don't worry Tsuchi, I remember my first time here, my toad ran off with the register when he lost at cards."

The nervous chūnin chuckled lightly as his nerves settled a little.

Jiraiya turned his back to the check in and smiled back at the trio.

Both Tsuchi and Naruto felt a little better watching the smug Hyuga get put in his place. It made him think of what he would say when he taught Neji the same lesson.

"Zabuza, Haku." The sannin waved his hand towards him as he turned to walk down the main street to the Hokage's office. "Let's get you sorted eh?"

"Hmm this won't take long will it?" Zabuza half growled, he always hated meetings.

"Naruto, go sort your stuff out," Jiraiya called back. "Don't forget about your training." A knowing grin on his face, thinking of a brown haired weapons mistress.

"I'll have to see you later then…Naruto-kun."

Naruto turned to see Haku's smiling face.

She took a step closer, lent in and kissed his cheek.

Naruto blushed and felt a warm tingling sensation in his cheek before it disappeared along with Haku who ran to catch up with Zabuza.

"Uh…yea…see ya…" he muttered as he watched her brown hair flutter in the wind.

Both chūnin just watched, gob smacked, as the village outcast got a kiss from a rather pretty girl.

The Hyūga felt nothing but hate for the demon vessel. He barely caught the eye of any female where as the Kyuubi incarnation was already getting kisses.

Tsuchi however smiled at the orange and black genin. It was about time someone saw him for the kind kid he seemed to be. He made a mental note to ask his sensei why people gave him hateful looks.

With his travelling trio gone, Naruto let out a long sigh and looked up at the sun. The top half of the great ball of fire had risen above the wall into the village.

'Yosh, first things first, breakfast!' he thought as he felt his belly rumble at the thought of food.

"Ichiraku it is!" he called out, pumping a fist in the air as his back pack jostled, beginning the trek back to his favourite breakfast, lunch and dinner stand.

* * *

Hushed whispers littered the street as the "Toad Sage", the "Demon of the Mist" and an unknown walked calmly through Konoha.

Most people had risen and were beginning their daily routines of shopping, working and training and many were present to witness this unusual event.

Haku could feel the stares all over her. A shiver ran down her spine as she quickened her pace to stand closer to Zabuza and Jiraiya.

Zabuza looked down at his student, her smile from before was gone and her happy face was replaced with one of caution with a hint of fear.

The people on the street felt a small wave of killer intent hit them as the mist ninja passed, some quickly looking away and hurring along with whatever they were doing before.

"You alright?" Zabuza whispered.

"I'm fine Zabuza-sensei…" Haku replied with her old emotionless voice back in place.

'I just wish Naruto was here…'

* * *

"…the…the demon of the mist…." A young pink topped girl gasped as she felt killer intent wash over her, barely affecting her due to the small strength of it. "Wielder of the Kubikiri Hōchō…"

She gazed at the legendary swordsman, confused after not seeing his sword before briefly turning her attention briefly to the girl standing next to him, then finally to the old sannin.

'Wait…sannin?' He brain quickly thought back to Naruto's letter. 'Jiraiya? That means Naruto's back!'

* * *

A long slurp could be heard before a bang as a bowl slammed down on the counter.

"Ah! Great ramen as always!" Naruto sighed, patting his now round belly in satisfaction.

"No less for our favourite customer, Naruto-kun." Ayame smiled, collecting his seven empty bowls.

Naruto chuckled lightly before his face muscles twitched.

"A-choo." He sneezed, covering his face with his arm.

Teuchi laughed as he began washing the large pot Naruto's ramen resided in only a few minutes ago.

"Some pretty girl must be thinking of you Naruto."

"**But which one?**" A deep voice called out inside Naruto.

'Ne? What you mean foxy?' Naruto replied.

The old tailed beast lowered it's eye brows in irritation at the new nickname.

"**Well, you do have a certain…charm with more than one girl in your life.**"

As much as Naruto had learned over the years, both from the fox and books, teachers and the usual ninja sources, he'd never had much experience with other people.

'…eh?' Naruto thought, confused again. '…you mean Haku?'

The fox face-planted the floor. Considering the floor was under a good two to three feet of…watery substance, the whole experience of it and Naruto's ignorance proved annoying to the great beast.

It raised it's head again and sighed loudly.

"**Yes I mean the mist girl but what about the other two?**"

The fox only got the same response as he had the whole conversation.

'…ne?'

Another face-plant.

"**Figure it out baka!**" Kyuubi roared out before closing the link between them. Apparently having enough of the blonde. While the fox did appreciate the difficulties Naruto had with people, he couldn't really be that out of touch…could he?

'Baka fox!' Naruto thought to himself. 'What was he on about?'

"Naruto?…" A voice called out.

Naruto blinked several times before beholding the welcome sight of Ayame and Teuchi.

"Heh, you seem pretty out of it kid, were you thinking of her?" Teuchi smirked.

Naruto became even more confused at this before remembering the last comment from the ramen stall owner.

"Oh…erm…" Naruto began.

"Naruto!" A different voice called out this time.

Looking left then right, Naruto spied a certain weapons teacher he had an overdue lesson with.

"Oh, hey Tenten, did ya get my message?" He smiled.

The two ramen cooks suddenly turned away and began whistling inconspicuously.

"Yea, did you just get back? I saw Jiraiya and two mist ninja walking toward the Hokage's office. Did you capture them?" Tenten asked quickly with the last part coming out close to a shout.

"No, no, it's not like that." Naruto waved his hands, dismissing her theory. "Me and Jiraiya went to go offer them refuge in the leaf. They're going to the old man's to get all the paperwork done I guess."

"So there's going to be one of the seven swordsman of the mist living here?" Tenten squealed.

"I hope so, Zabuza even took interest in this." Naruto pointed to his new blade. "You never know, he could be a challenge to spar against."

A strange thought flitted across Tenten's face. It was a strange thought but not an impossible one.

"You say this like your already his friend or something."

"Zabuza? Yea you could say that. Haku-chan's quite nice too…" Naruto answered, his thoughts drifting back to last night.

Tenten's jaw dropped.

"Nani? How did…when but…" She stammered before getting a full sentence out. "Could you introduce me?"

"Sure," Naruto flashed her his cheeky grin. "Zabuza will probably need some friends like us since he's new 'n' all."

* * *

Back in the Hokage's office, things weren't going as smooth as some would hope.

"I refuse to divulge my jutsu to unworthy people." Zabuza half shouted.

He and Haku were stood in the middle of the Hokage's office with Jiraiya sitting on a couch at the side while the Hokage and his two advisors resided behind the desk, one on each side.

They were currently locked in a heated debate, neither side wanted to give an inch.

"That is the condition of your refuge here in Konoha. Either you give us your jutsu or you will be turned in." Homura matched his volume.

Jiraiya was currently staying quiet, trying to think of the best way to cause both parties to come to an agreement.

'I told him he would be allowed here if he came willingly. The ANBU would no longer be after him and he would be able to live here as a Konoha ninja if he pledged allegiance to the leaf. The old jerks just decided to get greedy…'

"I worked long and hard to perfect and master my justu! There is no way I would give them up just to see some third rate genin using my hard work!" Zabuza faught back. The conversation had been going a while now and if something wasn't done soon then things would turn nasty.

"…I have an idea." Jiraiya spoke up.

All five turned to the sannin.

"What if he took on some apprentices?"

Zabuza gave Jiraiya a cautious look. What was the old perv thinking?

"That's preposterous…" Koharu began but the toad sage cut in.

"He would take a few people he considered worthy and would pass on his knowledge. This way Zabuza confidently pass on his teachings and you would get your jutsu."

The two advisors began to ponder the idea. It was not what they were aiming for but not the most unreasonable, besides, they would get all the techniques in due time with a push towards who Zabuza teaches.

"That seems like the perfect compromise to me Jiraiya." The third smiled at his old student. Before the advisors could argue the third announced the final decision.

"Well then, it seems that you will be teaching for a while, think you're up to it?"

Underneath his bandages, Zabuza smirked.

"Yea, I can handle a few brats. Hell I've already got this one, what's a few more." He motioned to Haku. "I already have one apprentice in mind."

The advisors looked confused.

"I'm sure Haku won't mind teaching the brat with me. Will you?"

Haku picked up on whom Zabuza was talking about.

"Hai, Zabuza-sama."

"That is also another thing…" Homura began. "We are to assume that your companion is already learned of you techniques and willing to become a member of the leaf."

"She has been taught a few of my lesser known techniques but Haku is quite capable with her own jutsu."

Haku raised her head to look at all three elderly ninja.

"I already possess knowledge of elemental justu and…" Haku began.

Zabuza gave her a hard look as the hushed conversation earlier entered both their minds.

* * *

"Whatever you do, do not let them know of you kekki genkai." Jiraiya whispered to the "prisoners" as they approached the Hokage's big red office.

"Why no…" Haku began before Jiraiya turned his head to give her a harsh, fierce look.

"Do NOT let them know…" he muttered again before turning back to the path ahead.

Haku glanced up at Zabuza who gave her an look saying "Do as he says".

* * *

"…can use a couple of water jutsu effectively." Haku stated.

The two advisors gave each other a knowing look before Homura dropped a bomb.

"Before you escaped from Team Kakashi in Wave country, Kakashi wrote in his report that you have a kakki genkai…" Haku, Zabuza and Jiraiya stiffened slightly. Thankfully it went unnoticed by the advisors but not by the Hokage.

"…specifically one of ice? He refered to a jutsu called "Demonic Ice Mirrors"."

Both Zabuza and Haku knew they were in a delicate situation, they did not want to risk knowing what would happen if they were to discover Haku's ice manipulation jutsu.

"Genjutsu."

This answer made Jiraiya and Zabuza breath an internal sigh of relief.

"I have a particular interest in genjutsu and designed my own. It destabilizes the victim giving each person subjected a different impersonation of my location and attack pattern." Haku stated confidently. "Each person will see any number of things but it's limited to the imagination of the subject.

I am not sure what Kakashi saw but it was merely genjutsu allowing me to gain the upper hand."

The explanation seemed perfectly reasonable. This is why it greatly annoyed the advisors, seeing nothing wrong with it.

"Kakashi also mentioned "Ice senbon" what about that?" Homura interjected.

"I am proficient in senbon and pressure points. In which case I use hidden senbon launchers located on my wrists to fire rapid shots towards an opponent."

Another reasonable explination.

"After all, deception is the trademark of a good ninja. Both "techniques" use little and no chakra enabling me to out last my opponent as was the case in wave."

Another inward sigh, it looks like they were in the clear.

The Hokage turned to his advisors.

"Well, everything seems in order. I think that's all the time we'll need from you today."

The two turned to the old Hokage, both greatly annoyed. They not only had to compromise but a potential kekki genkai was merely the illusion of genjutsu.

The two promptly left the office, closing the door with more force than needed on the way out.

"Jiraiya." The third turned to the sannin and nodded.

There was no fooling his old teacher.

A few handsigns later and…

"Private Conversation Jutsu." A faint white glow ebbed around the room before returning to it's normal colours.

"Thank you Jiraiya." the sannin however looked a bit nervous, there was no telling what his old teacher would do next.

"I am not an easy man to fool miss Haku…" Hizuren began, "…but I'm sure Jiraiya is behind that." Haku stiffened slightly. Her first day in Konoha and she was already a goner.

"It is good that he did inform you so." Both Haku and Zabuza gave the Hokage an odd look.

Jiraiya quickly got onto the same wavelength as his old teacher.

"This village has become a bit disgraceful in places." Jiraiya explained. "As I'm sure you are aware, one Sasuke Uchiha is the last loyal Uchiha in the village." Both Zabuza and Haku remembered the blue topped, sharing an armed genin.

"His kekki genkai and others within the village are treasured but moulded as weapons. When Sasuke is old enough, he will probably be subjected to what the elders call "Clan Restoration". In which he will wed several women to repopulate the sharing an supply."

Both Haku saw what Jiraiya was getting at.

"I know about your…circumstance Haku. As last of your clan of ice users you too would be subjected to this as a member of the leaf village."

Zabuza looked for a reaction from the Hokage but received nothing but a kind smile directed at the both of them.

"Jiraiya thankfully prevented you from having such a fate. Would it be found out, the council would most likely force the clan restoration onto you."

"That would never happen!" Zabuza cut in. "I would not allow such a thing."

"Unfortunately Zabuza, you have no such choice in the matter." The third said regretfully.

"I, for one, prefer to watch the young grow and follow their hearts to happiness. As I can tell from your faces and words you would both despise and resist the decision."

Zabuza eased into a state of caution, the old man was weird.

"Rest easy, neither me nor Jiraiya will be informing anyone of you're condition and if you wish to remain a free woman young miss, then you should work on some abilities that do not rely on your kekki genkai."

Both Haku and Zabuza looked relieved at this news.

"As for now though…" The third opened and closed the draws in his desk, his eyes glancing over several documents, his "private reading", and finally a pair of blue leaf headbands.

He rose from his desk and walked around to the two new leaf ninja.

"We are pleased to welcome you to the village as leaf ninja." He finished, holding out the pair of headbands, one in each hand, offering them and a kind smile.

Haku glanced up at Zabuza.

The swordsman picked up the headband and held it up to his face, his reflection clear in the unmarked metal.

A swift tug later and the mist headband was detached from his head, swiftly flying into Zabuza's pocket before the new leaf was attached in it's place.

Zabuza tugged at the knot tightly before looking back at the old man. His old guilt and fatigue replaced with pride and responsibility.

Haku was new to the concept of a head band. Zabuza wore his unlike the way it is supposed to be worn but it suited him. Until she could find a mirror this would have to do. Mirroring Zabuza's actions, Haku picked up her headband and looked at her reflection in the shiny metal.

'This is the start of my new life…' She thought.

A swift flick tuck and pull later and the metal plate was securely around her forehead, her trademark twin bangs hanging down either side curving inward slightly before they reached her nose.

"Now we have to go get the boring part done." The Hokage sighed deeply. "Jiraiya."

The silencing jutsu went down.

"You three, follow me."

Three simultaneous replies answered.

"Yes Lord Hokage."

* * *

"Aiyah!" a pink blur slashed the spot the blonde spikes were only a second ago, the short sword sliced through the air fasther than a hot knife through butter.

"Oi, oi! Watch it Tenten you nearly had my head!" Naruto shouted as he dodged back, gripping his short sword tightly.

An evil giggle could be heard emanating from the bun haired genin, her head was bent low and her eyes were bathed in shadow.

"That's the point Naruto-kun…" She said in a sickly sweet voice.

A shiver went down Naruto's back at these words.

A flash of pink and Tenten was baring-down on him, blade lowered, rising for an uppercut.

A flick of the wrist locked the blades together. Both genin were now holding their own against the other, their feet pushing on the ground trying to overpower the other.

Tenten's left hand released the blade, holding itself down wards.

Chakra flew down her arm and pushed itself into the single layer of scroll wrapped around her wrist.

A small sickle burst into existence in her free hand.

"Rising Talon Strike!" She shouted as the sickle rose to catch Naruto in the…

Poof!

"GAH! Tenten, what the hell where you doing?" Naruto shouted out as he sat in a nearby tree, replacing himself just in time. "If anything I'd RATHER you went for my head!"

Tenten smirked at Naruto, inside she was breathing a sigh of relief herself.

"Hehe, sorry Naruto, but you should watch out. That's just one of the moves I'm getting ready for you." She giggled as she looked up at the black and orange clad ninja, his hands firmly cupped over his gentleman's area as he looked at her in shock.

"That's got to be the most sneaky…

"…brilliant tactic." Someone else finished.

Naruto and Tenten turned to see Jiraiya strolling up to the pair.

"Effective, sneaky and…" Jiraiya closed his steps just a little. "…very painful if caught. A finale to a combo if I ever saw one."

Not to say Tenten blushed a little at the praise from a sannin.

"Er…thank you sir." She bowed quickly.

Naruto hopped down from the tree and stood next to his sparring partner.

"Your just saying that so she never uses the move on you." Naruto teased, the fear of such an attack still evident in his voice.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, his legs closed to a military stance and pushed his fingers together like Hinata.

"…No…" He said innocently, his eyes shifting from side to side. "…I was just commenting on some excellent swordsmanship is all."

"Baka sennin!" Naruto yelled angrily.

Wham!

Naruto felt a sharp pain on his head.

"Don't talk to a sannin that way Naruto!" Tenten scolded.

Jiraiya saw an excellent opportunity for some pay back. It may not ever leave his mind but it would be worth the risk.

He imagined examining the damage if a certain blonde haired team mate of his performed Tenten's newest attack on him full strength.

Tears leaked from his eyes at the visualization.

Tenten turned to the sannin who now had tears streaming down his face.

"Thank you *sniff* for understanding Tenten-san." He cried. "It's only the most recent of his many disrespecting names for me *sniff*."

Tenten watched the powerful sage begin to break down in front of her.

"Jiraiya-san…" She felt sorry for the old man before realising the cause was right next to her clutching his head. "Naruto!" She yelled out with godly volume.

"I'm a nice guy and *sniff* I do my part for the village but he keeps *sniff* putting me down." Jiraiya finished before letting out a loud bawl.

Naruto could feel the killer intent all around him.

'Zabuza?' he thought.

"**Run kit!**" The fox ordered, and run he did.

A little forced chakra to the feet from the fox and Naruto was shooting away from a brown, pink and blue blur armed to the teeth with pointy weapons.

"How dare you disrespect Tsunade-sama's team mate!" She yelled after him.

Naruto was running as fast as he could around the field but it was no use, she was gaining fast.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out.

Over three hundred clones were formed in an instant, surrounding the real Naruto. He quickly replaced himself a few times before the clones scattered themselves.

"That's not gonna work!" Tenten called out, jumping high into the air, a pair of scroll unfastening from her belt.

Hundreds of kunai, sickles, shuriken and other things exploded out of the scrolls.

Tenten closed her eyes as she visualised her targets.

They flashed open as her hands deftly grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at a clone.

Jiraiya watched the hilarity from afar. His fake tears of sadness turning into real tears of joy and he rolled on the ground clutching his stomach banging his fist on the grass.

"Hahaha stop it I can't…" He began but another Naruto clone went out in smoke, the kunai thrown piercing what would be Tenten's Talon Strike target, letting out a momentary squeal of would-be pain.

This brought out another round of laughing from the sannin as ten by ten, the Naruto clones numbers were reduced from the hundreds to the single digits.

The lucky few had taken refuge in especially thick trees, escaping temporarily from hell's judgement.

Whoosh, poof!

The eight were reduced to seven. The victim not even getting a chance to see where it's assailant came from.

The real Naruto was hiding behind a tree, transformed into a small field mouse. He was breathing heavily.

A large shadow fell across Naruto.

He slowly turned and looked up into the eyes of a crouching pervy sage.

"Payback's a bitch isn't it." Jiraiya whispered softly. "For the record, pink and yellow feathers just do not mix."

The scared little field mouse instantly remembered his earlier prank and narrowed it's small eyes at the sannin.

"Oi, Tenten, he's over here!" Jiraiya called out.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. He would really abandon his own student to die?

A second later and Naruto was facing the ground, his limbs flailing wildly as Jiraiya held him up by his tail.

A few unintelligible squeaks later and Naruto was back in human form, his right leg in the clutches of his sensei.

"Lemme go! Quickly!" Naruto pleaded with his teacher.

"No way, this is too good!" Jiraiya laughed again.

The clear sound of air parting could be heard by both ninja as Tenten soared through the branches and landed a foot from Naruto.

"Hello…Naruto!" she said in that same sickly sweet voice raising her hand with conveniently held a very shiny kunai.

"Apologize to Jiraiya-sensei at once." she demanded. She didn't want to hurt Naruto, she just liked giving him a taste of his own medicine.

A soft rustling came from the leaves above.

"Um…no." Naruto said defiantly.

In the space of a heartbeat, a chain of orange and black figures dropped from the branches, each clutching the next's feet as the last dangled with his arms open.

Jiraiya found himself encircled by these hands.

"Now!" the Naruto holding Jiraiya shouted.

In the branches above, the Naruto holding onto the chian yanked back as hard as he could, pulling both Jiraiya and Naruto up into the tree and shooting off into the sky back toward town.

Tenten could only stand there bewildered at the spectacle that took place before her.

It couldn't be said Naruto wasn't good at thinking on his feet.

* * *

"Yaaaaahhhh" The student and teacher yelled as they soared into town.

They had started descending and were both dreading the landing, this was definitely not one of Naruto's better plans.

Ichiraku, Tenten's weapon shop, and the academy all passed under them before their descent right into the hot springs.

Two very big splashes later and a very wet teacher and student looked at each other.

"Hehe, that was lucky eh?" Jiraiya laughed, Naruto hadn't forgotten the payback that fast though.

"Ahhhhhh!" A shrill voice screamed before either ninja could do anything.

Both turned to see a multitude of women scramble to get towels or clothes.

A quick glance to the sign above the changing rooms gave them all the information they needed about the situation.

Jiraiya's years of experience came in handy for him at this point having found himself in similar situations previously.

"See ya!" He quickly muttered to Naruto before swiftly leaping out of the water, over the fence and away from several women that looked ready to kill. With several of them being kunoichi, the result wasn't impossible.

Naruto just sat stunned for a moment before the seriousness of the situation descended on him. Unfortunately something else descended on him first.

Fore the second time today, Naruto was lifted off his feet by someone. A hand clasped firmly around the back of his neck, not his collar.

"What the hell do you think you're doing gaki?" A vaguely familiar voice rang right in Naruto's ears.

With a soft clicking sound, dreading the outcome, Naruto's head turned to see one Mitarashi Anko facing him. All her ferocity in the chūnin exam didn't compare to how deadly she looked now, even in her white towel.

"Gah! Miss Anko!" Naruto gasped, her short purple hair was let down from it's usual position. To Naruto, it seemed to frame her face quite nicely.

"I didn't…err… I mean pervy sage he…" Naruto stammered. It then dawned on him of the rest of Anko's attire. A small towel was wrapped around her body, covering from under her arms only just the thighs.

Unfortunately these thoughts decided to take physical form as a big red blush spread all over Naruto's face.

"You little perv!" Anko yelled. It was lucky she was in the hot springs before, the fact that Naruto had noticed her as a woman made her blush slightly herself, the steam made a good cover. Nearly all of the bathers had left the springs, people had heard about Anko and her dealings with Jiraiya as well as other people who dared spy on her.

"You wanna know what I do to perverts?" She threatened, daring him to answer as shadow covered her now yellow eyes.

Naruto quickly closed his eyes and braced himself for a potential beating.

* * *

The blonde genin landed on the other side of the wall. It was going to take a lot of Ryo to make good on his promise but he still hadn't been paid for his latest mission. He just thanked his lucky stars he heard that comment about Anko before, it did save him a beating after all, though apparently a certain white haired sannin is still in big trouble.

Naruto stood and quickly made his way away from the hot springs, dusting off his clothes as he jogged.

"Naruto!"

He turned.

A familiar panda bunned partner caught up to him before panting as they stopped.

"Where did you fly off to all of a sudden?" She asked.

Naruto was being a bit apprehensive at first as he didn't know whether their little "spar" was over or just postponed.

"Err, I kinda made a little detour to escape you and the old perv." He replied.

Tenten was visibly a little ticked at his comment. Fun had it's limits and she had heard all about Jiraiya from Guy-sensei, it was just more fun playing "tag" with Naruto.

She giggled at his slight fear.

"Don't worry Naruto, I'm not gonna thump you." She said back in a half hearted scolding tone.

The orange ninja raised his eyes brows.

"It was just training, besides, you looked cute as a mouse." She winked at him.

"Just how was that training? I thought I was done for!" Naruto exaggerated.

Tenten just giggled.

"How about we talk about it over lunch, you're buying." without another word, Tenten ran ahead, aiming for Naruto's favourite ramen stand.

A look of disbelief graced Naruto's face for a moment before he smiled and chased after the brunette.

Seems he was buying everyone food today.

The pair happily ran through town catching a few stares from people but otherwise lost in a little cat and mouse.

* * *

The game was brought to an abrupt halt as Tenten skidded to a stop in the middle of the path.

Naruto almost crashed into her he was that close but managed to jump aside at the last second.

"Hey Tenten, what gives?" He asked as he looked round at his friend.

Tenten however was just staring at a pair of unlikely customers looking into her shop window.

Zabuza Momochi was standing outside HER weapons shop with his accomplice and was apparently window shopping.

Naruto looked in the direction that Tenten was staring off at.

"Hey Zabuza, Haku!" He called out, the duo turned. "Old man Hokage let you out eh?"

Zabuza chuckled as he walked up to the blonde genin, Haku smiling as she drew closer.

"Yea, seems we're fully fledged leaf ninja…as soon as the probation passes."

A glint of light bounced off something shiny on the pair of them. Naruto looked closer to see the mark of the leaf now replacing the mist on Zabuza's headband and Haku who was wearing her own leaf headband.

"Sweet, so that means you can stay right?" Naruto smiled, more of a statement than a question he was so sure of the answer.

Underneath his bandages, Zabuza smirked,

"Yea, looks like you're stuck with us kid."

That didn't bother Naruto one bit.

"Whose this?" Haku asked, nodding to Tenten who was still struck dumb.

"Oh yea, this is my friend Tenten." He announced, "Zabuza, Haku, Tenten. Tenten, Zabuza you already know and Haku."

A blur later and Tenten was shaking Zabuza hand and arm fiercely.

"It is such a pleasure to finally meet you." She squealed. "I know all about your group and your swords."

She then turned to Haku and looked a little humble.

"I'm sorry, I don't know anything about you though. I feel as if that's rude…" Tenten now looked crest fallen.

"Woah, Tenten ease up." Naruto comforted her.

Haku's smile never vanished.

"That's alright, I prefer for people not to know about me."

Tenten smile returned a little.

"Hey, Zabuza." Naruto started, the old mist nin turned to his attention from the hyper pink genin to a hyper blonde genin. "Didn't you get your sword back yet?"

Tenten also noticed his famous blade was missing.

"Nah, they won't give it back till my probation's over." Zabuza said, sadness evident in his voice. "That's why I'm here. Some of these well crafted blades caught my eye while mine's being…held for me." He turned and pointed into the weapons shop.

This was one proud moment and memory not even amnesia could remove for Tenten. Before she could get a word out, Naruto was already explaining.

"That's Tenten's shop, she's the girl I was telling you about that helped me make this." He draw his fox blade.

"Really?" Zabuza turned and took a greater interest in Naruto's latest friend. "I must say, even at a glance these weapons look to be great standard. Did you make all of them?"

"Most of them, some of the more expensive thing's are imported or made by my dad." Tenten proudly stated.

"Hmm, and if Naruto's information is correct, you are skilled in the use of these weapons."

Tenten could only blush at this statement.

"Seems we'll have to spar sometime." Zabuza smirked, despite knowing the girl for only a few moments, he could guess the outcome of his words.

Wide eyes and a dropped jaw.

"Hehe, anyway me and Haku need to go sort out our new accommodation, later Naruto, Tenten." Zabzua called as he turned his back and walked away.

"See you soon Naruto." Haku whispered softly, a soft blush spread across her face.

"Yea, later Haku." Naruto smiled back, his now rapidly becoming legendary grin spread on his face.

The girl quickly turned and followed her sensei, a darker blush spreading.

As stunned as Tenten was by the invite, she couldn't believe the flirt she just saw between the new girl and her Naruto.

'My Naruto…?' she thought, a bit shocked at her own admission.

A hand grasped hers and tugged her the short distance remaining toward Ichiraku.

"Come on Tenten, let's eat!" He shouted, oblivious to her thoughts.

* * *

A/N: First things first, sorry this chappy is late. Net has JUST arrived, mien god, Sky service sucks.

Due to delayed chapter, the next one is already in the works, pretty much halfway written so expect the next one soon if my net finally arrives.

Since it was my Bday when I was writing this, I expect double reviews people! A slice of delicious cake will be added to you order of cookie.

Keep Reading!


	13. Chapter 13

The New Naruto

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

**"Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 13 - Better, Faster, Stronger…**

The chūnin exam finals were drawing ever closer.

Naruto had half the month left when he returned to Konoha with Jiraiya and co. and he was going to put that time to good use.

For the first week and a half everything almost followed a routine: Morning was summoning and jutsu training, afternoons were usually spent with Tenten training and at night his "private tutor" would train him.

A certain white haired teacher of his stopped by every now and then to check how he was doing, though on the third day, he was looking a lot worse for wear: bruises and lumps covered his head as well as a black eye, a swollen lip and a bloody nose. Turns out he came with a message.

"Anko says she looks forward to lunch." Was what Naruto could make out from Jiraiya's muffled speech. Seems Anko did catch up with him after all.

Last night, Naruto was put through an intense fitness test. His "prisoner" had tempted him with some new toys if he didn't collapse.

The fact Naruto completed his test and still managed to struggle back from the training ground and into bed gave the Kyuubi reason to give Naruto his next "present".

Needless to say, last night it took a lot out of him.

The following morning, Naruto rose bright and early. A quick "pleasant" conversation with the fox about pinching his chakra followed by breakfast was in order.

'Oi, fur ball!' Naruto thought as he quickly washed and dressed for the day.

He was greeted with the usual snores he got from the fox in the mornings. An evil thought quickly crossed his mind.

'Hey! My old orange jumpsuit! I haven't worn it in ages!'

That quickly woke the beast up.

"…**huh? Gah! Burn it with fire! Wha?…**" The fox jumped, his usual reaction to the blondes old attire was almost burned into his muscle memory. Any mention of it and that line was sure to follow.

'Oh good you're up.' Naruto thought cheerfully to the fox, yanking open his fridge and cupboard to see what goodies lay within.

"…**I ever find my way out of here, you're the first one I'm coming for…**" The fox growled deeply.

'Noted. Anyway it's time to begin training.'

"**That's what you got me up for?… I told you I'd train you tonight.**'

'Ahh but I can't wait that long!'

Ninja-o's landed in a bowl followed shortly by the last drops of milk in the carton.

"**Sheesh, you're insufferable, you know that?**" the fox shot back.

'**At least his mother left me alone…**'

'But you promised to teach me a new stuff!' Naruto complained, chucking the last empty carton into the bin full of empty instant ramen cups before tucking into brecky.

"**Don't you think you should try to come up with your own jutsu? Why not use your annoying prankster powers to, I dunno, make a trap jutsu or something?**"

Silence.

What happened in Naruto's mind next could only be described as a small explosion of ideas.

With a soft clang Naruto's spoon dropped into the bowl with a clang.

He rose from his seat and silently headed out the door. With no response coming from the black and orange ninja the fox settled back in it's sleeping pose, unaware of the monster he had unleashed on both Konoha and the world. The time bomb that was Naruto head out the front door and across the rooftops, arriving at the Konoha library at the base of the mountain.

Research was in order.

* * *

Several books now lay atop another, for once Naruto was taking education seriously. Naruto has been in the library for over four hours now and he had learnt much.

"Uh…chakra….control…uh…formation, yep erm…" He muttered as his eyes scanned the words in his latest book.

He may not look like it but when Naruto wanted to learn something, he learnt it so long as certain people didn't discourage his learning.

So far he'd learnt much about hand signs and jutsu as well as shape and nature manipulation. Seems certain hand signs help certain jutsu like the tiger leans towards fire jutsu's power.

The new information was processed in his brain as multiple plans for jutsu appeared or disappeared after consideration

A voice called out to the genin.

"Naruto?"

The blonde's head raised. Infront of him stood the always bored looking Shikamaru with a not so bored look on his face, more one of confusion.

"Why are you in the library?" He asked, doubting whether it was even the real Naruto.

"Oh, hey Shikamaru, I'm training." Was his reply, that didn't help Shikamaru whatsoever.

"Erm…how exactly?"

"Hmm? Oh I'm gonna make my own kick-ass jutsu!" Naruto said proudly, his voice raising above the acceptable level for the library provoking several glances from other readers.

Shikamaru shook his head.

"Naruto, there's no way you could make a jutsu up. You can barely mould your chakra as it is."

While it was true Naruto didn't have many techniques which required expert control, he wasn't about to let Shikamaru know that.

"If you must know, I've learned loads when I was away with Pervy Sage."

Shikamaru's eyebrow raised.

"Really, I've been practising hard! You won't stand a chance against me."

The pony tailed boy chuckled.

"Whatever Naruto, besides it's not me you should be trying to convince."

Naruto cocked his head in confusion.

Shikamaru sighed.

'He's learning jutsu but he doesn't know who he's even fighting? Man, my moneys on that sand girl.' He thought.

"You're up against that sand chick, Temari, remember."

That broke through Naruto's concentrated thoughts before he briefly remembered her fighting style. If he got caught by her fan, it would probably be all over.

"Oh yea." he muttered thinking of a way to counter that fan.

"Man, now I think about it, I'm glad I'm against Chōji." Shikamaru muttered.

Naruto's head returned to it's confused, cocked position.

"Why?"

"Well to be fair, most of the elite seem to be participating. Me, Sasuke, Lee, Neji, that Gaara kid. That guy and his family are scarier than that jōnin Anko." Shikamaru explained.

Naruto's brain was on fire today, the amount of activity it had experienced and it wasn't even lunch yet. Speaking of lunch and Anko, didn't he promise Anko that…

He turned and looked at the clock.

"Gah! Half twelve already?" He shouted, "I gotta go, later Shikamaru!"

One smoky outline of Naruto later and he sped through the doors to the library.

Poor Shikamaru was left getting all the stares from others from Naruto's little outburst. He could already see the Librarian making her way towards him.

"What a drag…"

* * *

"That gaki's gonna get it!" A certain brown coated special jōnin grumbled as she stood outside the dango shop, pacing a little.

"I should've known better than to trust him, he probably just said that to escape my wrath…"

A black and orange flash appeared before her before a cloud of dust rose up from it.

"Sorry I'm late." Said the dust. "I was studying, honest!"

The dust soon cleared to reveal a worn out Naruto, smiling bashfully up at her.

An anger mark twitched on Anko's forehead but she decided to get what she could out of the brat first.

"Well well, decided to finally show up eh? I thought I'd have to give you the same treatment I gave Jiraiya." Her hands met, one fist and her palm to crack the knuckles.

Naruto put his hands up in front of him in defence.

"No no! I always keep my promises." He blurted out quickly.

"Good, well let's see how good you can keep this one. You did promise all I could eat." She smirked before stepping into the dango bar.

Naruto sighed deeply before he followed her, taking out Gamachan in the process.

"Looks like this is goodbye buddy." he muttered softly before he and Anko ordered their lunches.

* * *

"Ahh! That's the spot!" Anko sighed loudly as she impaled her last dango stick on the table, making it her seventy eighth stick and completing her stick display. It was a small image of Jiraiya's head with crosses for eyes and the last stick impaled right in the centre.

Naruto looked up at Anko with wide eyes as he looked down at his two thirds consumed stick. He was up to twenty four.

"Wow, you really can put it away can't you." Naruto complimented without thinking.

"What are you trying to say?" Anko glared at him darkly.

"Uh…I mean em…you eat dango like I eat ramen…" Naruto explained, hoping it would suffice. It did.

"Hmm, I guess, though your not the champion of your food." Anko smirked, jabbing her thumb back towards the bar. Naruto turned and could make Anko's picture out inside along with "Bar's best customer" and her record of one hundred sticks in one sitting.

While Naruto was impressed, she was wrong with one thing.

"Oh, you have one too."

"Eh?"

"Mr Ichiraku has the same thing for me, only it's for ramen." Naruto smirked. Anko was taken aback for a moment. She knew Chōji through his dad and those two could eat, but this gaki holds the record at their favourite eatery?

"No way." Anko laughed, "A puny thing like you can barely manage twenty five sticks let alone so much ramen."

Twitch.

"Fine, I'll prove it to you next time!" He challenged.

'Gotcha.'

"Great, then it's a date and you're paying seeing as you set the challenge." Anko laughed.

Before Naruto's brain could comprehend the trap he'd fallen into, Anko chuckled and ruffled his hair before escaping from the scene.

Naruto just stared wide eyed at where Anko was sitting barely seconds ago. Customers around the area had several thoughts about the scene. Many couldn't understand why the two were together in the first place, others wondered why the demon brat was allowed here and some thought about laughing out long and hard.

"Hey kid…" Naruto turned to see the dango seller calling to him. "…you, Anko and your wallet are welcome back anytime." He laughed.

Naruto laughed back much to the dismay of the demon haters as they thought he was being insulted.

Naruto's hand found the back of his head as he rubbed it nervously.

"Yea I guess she got me hehe." Naruto felt his now paper thin wallet through his pants and sighed at the feeling of an almost empty Gamachan. "Least she's not my girlfriend."

Naruto rose from the circular table and bench before walking away down the street, several laughs coming from a few patrons and the owner as he left.

Despite the lack of cash and the semi-humiliation Naruto suffered, he'd enjoyed lunch with the special jōnin. Surprisingly, after a few tales of his own which seemed to amuse her, she told Naruto about her own misadventures in the village at one point. Lord Hokage was not pleased when he found a file with a self-replicating paper tag inside it. Naruto liked that one the most.

Now he thought about it, he and Anko were similar in their sense of humour. Maybe he could run some ideas by her when he saw her next due to his…challenge.

* * *

Naruto leant back into both his hands as he walked through the street relaxing. Tenten had given him the day off today and Haku was going through a short course of the academy to make sure she was fit to be a ninja or at least a genin. Her final test was today.

His thoughts then turned back to Hinata, when he'd returned she'd been released from the hospital but put on bed rest for a while at the Hyūga estate. Even her team mates couldn't get in to see her so Naruto didn't know her current state, he wasn't going to worry about her though. If she was as strong as she proved in the preliminaries she would get better soon, no point worrying about the things you can't change. There wasn't much going on in the village so Naruto decided to make like Shikamaru, take some time out and watch the clouds.

Walking close to the edge of the village, Naruto found it easy to find an unoccupied field of grass that looked peaceful enough. It was mostly plain with a few trees at the end, it kind of separated the village from the training grounds.

Naruto strolled over and jumped up into one of the trees, navigating his way to the top branches before laying back on a rather thick branch that had a clear view of the sky. The sun was still pretty high in the sky and few clouds were around in the blue sky. After a few minutes of cloud gazing Naruto could feel the effects of sleep approaching him.

'As lazy as Shikamaru is…at least he got this right…' Were his last thoughts as he drifted off into slumber. The sun keeping watch over him as he slept, slowly sinking in the sky.

* * *

The sleeping form of Naruto looked as weird as…well…Naruto. The boy had tuned over in his sleep and his arms and legs had fallen off the branch only leaving his body and head resting on it. Naruto had a look of content on his face as dreamt, a nose bubble inflating and deflating at a steady pace. If one were to compare him to anything, it would be a sloth.

"Aiya!" A voice shouted from somewhere nearby.

The initial shout didn't wake the sleeping genin but it sure awoke the flocks of birds around him.

Hundreds of feathered fiends flapped their wings trying to escape whatever was causing all the noise and most flew right by Naruto, the sounds of wings beats rising him from sleep.

Naruto's sleep was interrupted as the birds flew, he let out several curses at the birds as they escaped into the orange sky.

'Orange?…' Naruto thought, as he dropped off the branch, contemplating his dream and time lost in the nap.

Several smaller shouts could be heard through the thicket.

Naruto turned and looked in the direction he guessed they were coming from. They sounded like a girl's shouts.

'Maybe that's Tenten…' Naruto thought. '…maybe I can see what new skills she's developing.' Reconnaissance was an aspect of being a ninja after all.

The blonde grinned as he jumped back through the branches towards the training ground behind him.

* * *

Several more chakra-enhanced blows landed on the now damaged log. Her breathing was ragged and pain flooded her body. Hinata fell to her knees in front of the log, her usual jacket discarded and her black t-shirt and bandages underneath were drenched in sweat with her body threatening to a different, red substance out if she continued her efforts. Tears were falling freely from her eyes as she coughed, choked and spluttered all at once.

A voice called out to her as she turned her head towards the trees.

"Hinata!"

She didn't need her byakugan to see the orange and black ninja jumped from the branches and land in front of her, placing one hand on her back.

"Hinata, are you ok?" He asked hurriedly.

The normal red blush that usually graced Hinata's face was only present due to the work out.

"Hai, Naruto-kun." She smiled before coughing again, a small amount of blood rising and colouring the grass below.

"What are you doing out here? Your family said you were resting…"

Hinata smiled, he had at least cared enough to try and check up on her.

The young genin tried pushing herself onto at least her knees but her arms would have none of it.

"Hinata, you have to stop."

Naruto helped Hinata into a sitting position against the post she was moments ago destroying.

"Thank you…Naruto-kun…" Hinata mumbled softly as her eyelids began to close.

Naruto put a hand on her forehead and arms, they were both burning up. Hinata coughed again, a little more blood landed on her dark undershirt.

"You can't sleep Hinata, we need to get you home." Naruto was concerned for her health now, sleeping and blood were not good signs.

Naruto quickly slid his hands under her legs and her back and lifted the young Hyūga up.

Now Hinata was blushing. She was held within the strong arms of the boy she'd admired since pre-academy days. It was all a bit too much for the girl though as the stress of her wounds and the lack of blood anywhere but her face caused her lids to grow heavy again.

Naruto took off into the trees, staying as low as possible to keep stray branches to a minimum, the girl in his arms drifting in and out of consciousness.

The boy broke free of the trees and arrived back in the building jungle, quickly navigating his way up to the rooftops using several lower buildings and a chakra-enhanced jump or two.

The rooftops made it easier and faster to get to the Hyūga estate near the Hokage tower. Naruto wasn't sure but he thought that it was probably that they thought a Hyūga would become Hokage.

Several Hyūga members were coming to the front gate as Naruto dropped from the rooftops to the entrance to the estate.

"Oi, what are you doing with Lady Hinata-sama?" One of the clan members shouted.

Naruto ignored the shout and jumped over the main gate, looking for a certain Hyūga he'd seen with Hinata many times.

The certain Hyūga in question was just leaving the confines of the building, stretching after a good meal.

"Oi!" He heard and turned towards the source.

The jinchūriki he'd warned Hinata to stay away from for so long was now approaching him with said heiress in his arms, seemingly out cold.

Before his logical side of the brain kicked in, he instantly blamed the boy for Hinata's well being.

Before he could voice such blame the boy spoke.

"Oi, Hinata pushed herself too hard training, I think something might be wrong."

Kō looked down at the girl and took her from Naruto's arms, quickly retreating inside the house.

The clan members that were around the gate looked on in caution with confused eyes.

Naruto had returned with the girl and given her back to the hands he believed best for her. Surprising many Hyūga, Naruto just walked over to the wall next to the door and sat himself down in a kneeling position facing outwards respectfully.

'What the hell is he waiting for?' Many Hyūga thought angrily as they watched the young jinchūriki act with manners and respect he had not shown when bursting onto the grounds.

Several Hyūga slipped off, not wanting to be around when Hiashi discovered the demon vessel while others stayed out of curiosity.

It didn't take long for Kō to return with Hiashi, the elder's byakugan blaring but his eyes returned to their normal state once Naruto was in his normal eyesight.

"Uzumaki." He simply called.

Naruto turned to look him in the face, waiting for whatever the elder wanted.

Hiashi motioned him forwards before turning back into the house, specifically the small meeting room he was in at the time of said genin's arrival.

Naruto rose to his feet and walked after him, making sure to remove his sandals before stepping inside the manor before Kō reminded him.

Gob smacked Hyūga just stood in confusion at the scene, many looking round to keep any news of the head treating the beast like a person inside the compound where it would stay.

* * *

Hiashi knelt at the head of a small table while Naruto took the spot opposite. The table looked like it could hold three or four people on either side so Naruto guessed it was where elder meetings took place.

"Where was Hinata when you found her?" Hiashi cut right down to business.

"In training field six I think." Naruto answered honestly.

Several more questions followed about why he was there and what Hinata was doing to Naruto's knowledge when he arrived.

"…then she just collapsed so I thought I'd better bring her here." Naruto said, "I overheard the other girls in the academy saying the Hyūga have their own doctors so I thought the best place for her to be was here."

Hiashi's eyebrows relaxed, returning his face to a more neutral look instead of the frown he usually wore.

"Correct decision Uzumaki." He simply stated. "You are free to leave with my thanks."

After that, Hiashi rose and made his way towards one of the doors.

"Hiashi-sama?" Naruto called out respectfully.

The head of the Hyūga turned and looked back at the blonde.

"Is…how is Hinata? I mean after the chūnin exams she was hurt badly, she will be okay won't she?"

Several feelings graced Hiashi's head at this time.

"…she will be fine, I will see to it personally." He stated before leaving the room.

Naruto smiled and laughed lightly.

"I'm glad." he chuckled despite him being alone.

Without further ado, he rose to his feet and exited out into the courtyard, slipping on his shoes and made his way around on the wood floor before stepping onto the path and out the gate.

Several byakugan had been watching the event, the all seeing eye was a good way to spy and lip reading was a second skill to Hyūga members. The ones that watched the exchange between the head of house and demon vessel were angry. One particular pair of byakugan disengaged from their room. The boy inside furrowed his brow and unwrapped his bandaged arm and leg, his Hitaiate left his forehead revealing his cage bird seal to the room as he prepared himself for rest.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Neji muttered, "Even the lowest of humans kiss the feet of the main house…"

* * *

Naruto's thoughts were now mainly occupied with Hinata and her well being.

'Man, I wonder if Hinata's gonna be okay. I've never seen her push herself that hard…'

Naruto was now on the path back home, eager for a good nights rest.

"**Given up on the new toys hmmm?**" The Kyuubi's voice echoed in his sewer-like mind.

Naruto reacted like he always did; like a kid in a candy shop.

"**Oi oi, settle down brat.**" Kyuubi growled. Naruto had now taken a detour back towards the training fields he'd slept by earlier.

Once he arrived he settled down under a nearby tree and retreated into his mind.

"So what you gonna teach me eh?" His imaginary form back in his head bounced up and down, hands clenched in anticipation.

"**As useful as that blade of yours is kit, you can't rely on your skills with a blade to keep you out of any life or death scenario.**" Kyuubi explained. "**A ninja must be efficient in all areas else another could pinpoint his weakness and take him out.**" Naruto nodded, thinking back to all his friends skills like Kiba and Akamaru's teamwork, Tenten's kenjutsu, Hinata's taijutsu and Kakashi's ninjutsu.

"**Looking at you're current skills I can see that you are lacking in a few areas majorly. This one I can help you with hence the workout you had last night.**" Kyuubi explained.

Naruto nodded slowly and listened before replying.

"Which area?" he asked.

"**Taijutsu.**"

* * *

Naruto returned home that night exhausted.

Training that evening had turned out much like his training with a sword first time. He had the knowledge but not the dexterity nor practise to perform most if not nearly all moves effectively let alone combo with them.

He jumped high into the air from the street and landed on the platform outside his back door.

The usual white and green wall and wood now graced a layer of red paint once again.

The words "Die Demon" were painted across the door and walls.

Naruto glanced up before looking back down at his feet in annoyance and tiredness. As much as he ignored it, the threats, names and other provocations still annoyed him to some degree.

Naruto wrenched open his back door and slammed it fiercely, annoying some of the other residents in the surrounding apartments who were either sleeping or trying to sleep.

He threw several angry words around the room before collapsing on his couch.

His resident had pushed him hard to learn some of the basic moves he now knew and had worn him out considerably. The last thing he wanted was to come home to things like that.

Naruto sighed deeply as he tried to shake off the depressed feeling and pulled the last cup of instant ramen out from the cupboard.

If things went the way they usually did, the message would be gone by tomorrow.

A thought crossed his head regarding his new jutsu he was going to develop. A bit of time and this might not happen again. He chuckled deeply, giving off a very evil sound. His new jutsu would definitely be beneficial to his trickery.

* * *

By four in the morning, the blonde was sleeping soundly the long training ensured he would be down for a while, or at least a few hours more than he usually got.

The sun was chasing away the dark colours from the sky, it was early even in the ninja world but some were already up.

One such individual was late for their shift on the wall of their city. The reason? Annoying red paint.

"Damn bastards." The figure swore as the harsh sponge swept over the red paint, removing a fair amount.

"Just can't leave it alone can they." The figure muttered again. A few more minutes with the sponge and bucket and the nasty red paint was gone, leaving the usual white wall and green wood to grace the morning light.

The figure smiled at their achievement before faltering after remembering why they had to do it in the first place.

Bucket in hand, she jumped down to the alley way below to deposit the cleaning supplies under a drain pipe to collect water before jumping away towards the wall, thinking of ways to catch and crucify the people who make her late at least once a week.

* * *

The blonde looked out into the morning as the giant ball of fire began it's ascent into the sky.

Naruto was standing on the platform overlooking the city from his apartment. As predicted, the red paint had vanished without a trace. He stretched on the platform before sighing contently, his stomach longing for the taste of milk to accompany his dry cereal. He would have to go shopping again later.

The blonde genin leaped from his roof to another, heading towards team 7's training field, he had more training to do.

As he ran, his thoughts turned to his rivals for the chūnin exams.

There was the person he'd have to face first, Temari of the sand. He didn't see much of her power during the preliminaries but if that first attack was anything to go by, he knew he'd have to counter with speed and stealth. Next would be Tenten, his teacher and rival in the kenjutsu art. There was only a slim chance he could beat her on pure skill with blades alone so other techniques would be needed to gain the upper hand.

The person he fought after that would be a mystery so he should prepare for anything.

* * *

He arrived in the grassy field and began stretching his muscles after his little warm up run here.

"Man, I gotta really think about my fights..." He muttered, "That sand girl has the fan and her attacks could take out loads of my shadow clones. If she deals in wind damage at a range then I have to get up close."

Completing his stretches, Naruto focused his chakra towards his hand, beginning his training of summoning a tiny toad or better.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He shouted out, completing the hand signs and slamming his hand down on the ground.

Gamakichi emerged from the smoke as bored as ever.

"Yo…oh it's you again." He muttered.

An angry look passed over Naruto's face, not because of the toads remark but how he still couldn't manage to summon anything bigger than this.

"Either you use more chakra or more powerful chakra kid. Me and my brother can't be popping from once place to another every minute just because you're training. Try using more than you're using for me, lots more." The small orange toad scolded.

Naruto just didn't have powerful chakra.

Think of chakra reserves as a cup. Naruto's reserves were full of water while someone like Kakashi's reserves have fruit juice, yum. To perform the same jutsu, Kakashi would use less total percentage of his chakra than Naruto as he had the same amount compact in a smaller space.

A thought clicked in his head, he had access to an enormous power source all along yet never thought of using it. Getting permission to use it was another problem, the Kyuubi only lent him some to get him through the chūnin preliminaries, would he for training and general use too?

With a soft poof, the toad burst out of existence and back to his home while Naruto was wrapped up in his own thoughts inside his head.

'Oi fur ball, you awake?' Naruto thought-whispered.

A low snore told him otherwise.

'I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing…' Naruto grinned

Mentally, Naruto focused his chakra on drawing some of the Kyuubi's out of the cage. Before too long, small trickles of red chakra were flowing between the bars. Taking only what he needed, Naruto left his mindscape and began the seals again, this time focusing the new chakra into the jutsu.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He cried out, his hand meeting the earth and the familiar smoke burst from the seal, only this time, the smoke was much bigger.

Naruto peered into the smoke, trying to make out who he summoned.

A black outline in the smoke stepped forward, the smoke was clearing to reveal a bright yellow jacket with orange trim covering a bright blue toad with pale yellow under scales. The jacket was similar to the robes people wore at home like the Hyūga clan. On it's forehead it had 6 yellow beads in a similar position to the six on a dice going up. The toad was just taller than Naruto as it stood on all fours before leaning back and resting it's arms on the inside of it's thighs.

"So, you're the squirt that's been causing all the trouble." The blue toad laughed while Naruto's confused look answered for him. "Bunta's kids aren't very happy with you ya know."

Naruto lowered his head.

"Yea I kinda got that…" Naruto muttered dejectedly.

The blue toad laughed again to Naruto's embarrassment.

"Don't worry kid, everyone else has been enjoying the spectacle though don't bug Bunta anytime soon else he'll take it out on ya. Besides, you finally managed to summon someone else."

Naruto looked back up at the toad, his smile back on his face.

"So since ya summoned me, is there anything I can do for ya kid?" The toad asked kindly.

Naruto's mind drew a blank.

"Uh…" He began.

"Lemme guess," The toad cut in, "Jiraiya-san didn't tell you anything about summoning right?"

"He did a little but not much." Naruto explained.

The toad sighed deeply before sucking in a large amount of air.

"Right, well as you obviously know, you signed the toad contract, and you can summon us from another place to you. The amount of chakra and power needed summons different toads like Bunta's kids or me. All of us have skills we either practise or specialise in."

Naruto watched in awe as the toad hopped over to a nearby tree, drew his right arm back and with an open palm, sliced with the side at the tree.

The impact sent out a small shock wave and a rustling of leaves above.

Naruto looked on at the toad as he stood back, smirking at Naruto, his left index finger pointing at the tree.

Naruto looked on in curiosity as the toad tapped the tree a little higher than where he struck.

A creaking could be heard as the tree swayed and tipped before finally crashing onto the ground below, the section that once held the trees together now had a clean slice right through the middle.

"My name is Gamasonshō. I am the resident Shaolin master on Mt. Myōboku, and the best toad in Taijutsu."

* * *

Afternoon rolled around and Naruto bid the Shaolin master goodbye as he returned to Mt. Myōboku. The toad and blonde had talked about his skills in the taijutsu field and one quick spar later, the toad knew how much skill Naruto had.

The morning had gone well, Naruto thought as he strolled into town for lunch. He'd gained a new taijutsu teacher and if Guy-sensei was anything like Tenten described, maybe Naruto got the better end of the deal being taught by a toad.

Approaching the ramen stand Naruto withdrew his wallet and opened it to grab some cash. Looking into Gamachan however, was not a pleasant sight. Only a few notes remained from his S rank mission.

"Damn Anko…" Naruto cursed under his breath as he walked past the ramen bar. "Only got enough for lunch or shopping."

He picked the latter and walked towards the local shop. Looking back at the ramen stand with tears in his eyes, his mind thinking something along the line of, 'I'll be back my love!'

* * *

Drawing closer to the shop, Naruto ducked down an alley and checked no one could see him.

A hand sign and a poof of smoke later, Umino Iruka exit the alley at the other end.

The "chūnin" let out a soft sigh, he hated doing this but it was a way of life for him.

He entered the shop and glanced around, it didn't seem too busy so he could get in and out quickly.

* * *

Shino, Kiba and Kurenai were walking back to the Hokage tower from another D rank mission while Hinata was out of action. Things had been this way since their whole teams failure during the chūnin exams though each had their own "rivals" to face. Hinata's was her cousin who despised the main branch, Kiba's was the Uchiha prodigy who both thought they were the leader of their team and Shino's logical thinking was beaten by Shikamaru's own hyper intelligence.

The bug boy looked up at the sun, his hands deep in his pockets as usual as they strolled down the street.

"Iruka-sensei!" Kiba called out accompanied with an Akamaru bark from his head.

Shino's attention returned to the earth to see their old teacher walking towards them with a smile on his face.

"Hey Kiba, Shino. How are you guys?" He asked kindly, stopping to talk to his old students.

"Great Iruka-sensei, Kurenai-sensei's taught us a lot since we became genin." Kiba boasted before his smile faded a little. "Though we didn't make it as chūnin…" Akamaru whimpered on top of Kiba's head at the admittance of failure.

Iruka just smiled at the genin and chuckled.

"Hey, not everyone makes chūnin at your age. You still have time to develop your skills. I didn't become a chūnin till I was sixteen ya know."

Kiba felt better at this revelation, his determination to become stronger rekindled inside. While Shino wasn't as dejected as Kiba, he did find inspiration in his teacher's words.

"Don't worry Iruka. They're in good hands." Kurenai said to the smiling genin teacher.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Iruka continued, his smile faltering a little when he remembered the missing member from the team.

"How is…" he began.

"Better." Kurenai interrupted, predicting his question. She didn't wish to dwell on the subject as much as anyone until she could see Hinata again.

"Well then I won't keep you." Iruka walked past them towards the gates. "See ya later." He waved back without looking.

The reduced Team 8 continued onto their destination, their meeting with Iruka warming their spirits and Kiba was showing it, asking Kurenai for either training or another mission.

The jōnin sighed at Kiba's eagerness.

"I can take care of the mission debrief myself, why don't you go work on your new technique with Akamaru." She said.

Kiba grinned before getting an affirmative yip off Akamaru.

"Right you are buddy. Later Shino, Kurenai-sensei." he shouted as Akamaru jumped off his head and the duo ran off towards their training field.

"Go on Shino, I'm sure you have better things to do too." Kurenai coerced.

Shino nodded his head.

"Thank you Kurenai-sensei." He replied politely before breaking off from her down another path leading back to his clan's residence.

* * *

The doors to the shop opened and "Iruka" emerged with his bags of shopping gripped tightly in each hand. Despite that big lunch with Anko, Naruto still had enough cash left to keep food in the cupboards.

He set off towards his home with thoughts of today's session with Tenten in his mind and how well he would fair.

"Iruka-sensei?" A voice called out.

'Crap!' Naruto thought as he turned to spot the owner of said voice.

It was Shino, the bug user.

"Oh hi Shino. Nice day we're having eh?" Naruto made small talk as he continued towards home. Instead of just a casual two line chat as he'd hoped, Shino turned with him down the street, walking alongside him.

"Yes it is." Was all he got in reply. Naruto had to think fast before he led Shino back to his home.

"How is your training coming along? Been working hard since the preliminaries?"

"I have been working on a few new techniques but I prefer not to reveal them unless I need to." Shino answered logically.

Naruto was now forced to take a long route back to his apartment, missing the quickest turn in towards his place since Shino insisted on continuing the conversation.

"How are the new genin Iruka-sensei?" Shino asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Naruto was now thinking hard, he know Konohamaru was in Iruka's class with his two friend but that was it.

"They're coming on fine, Konohamaru has quietened down a lot since Naruto talked to him." Naruto replied. Truth be told, he hadn't seen his own apprentice in a while.

"I see, how would you rate the classes skills compared to ours?" Shino's questions continued. Naruto was sweating now.

"Er… Well I don't like to play favourites…"

"Well at least they can't be as bad as Naruto…" Shino smirked a little under his jacket. "He couldn't tell which end of a kunai was which unless you drew him a map."

"Oi, I can so!" "Iruka" shouted back at the bug user. His façade lost in attempts to preserve his pride. It took his brain a few seconds before his words came back to him and took a step back from Shino.

"Oh can you now…Naruto." Shino smirked, his glasses looking directly into Naruto's eyes. It was quite the intimidating sight.

A poof of smoke later and a black and orange genin was standing in Iruka's space, still clutching his shopping. No one was around to see the small spectacle leaving the current street unusually bare.

"How'd you know it was me?" Naruto asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well you're outburst helped." Naruto had put two and two together and knew the insult was to provoke a reaction, it was just too late to respond appropriately. "I also saw Iruka-sensei on his way to guard duty, watching you transform was a big hint too."

Naruto flinched.

"Which brings me to my next question; Why do you transform into Iruka-sensei to do something as simple as shopping?"

Naruto's eyes widened before looking down at the ground, his usual smile replaced with a dull emotionless look.

"That is none of your concern Shino." he muttered just loud enough for Shino to hear before turning down the alley behind him, making his way back to his home.

Shino still didn't take the hint and kept pace behind Naruto, staying about five feet behind him.

Naruto didn't want to deal with this and sped up. Shino's footsteps continued to match his own. Growing annoyed Naruto pushed chakra to his feet and ran up the side of the nearest building. Shino followed calmly, his hands still not leaving his pockets.

Naruto jumped over few buildings before landing on his own, quickly running round to the front to escape into his lonely apartment.

He turned the corner and looked down at his jacket, quickly trying to remember where he put the key.

Standing outside his front door Naruto grabbed the key with his left hand from his trouser pocket before looking up at the door.

Spread across the door and wall was another blood red message.

"Demons should die!" was clearly written across the white and green wall and wood.

Shino chose this moment to round the corner to follow Naruto, glancing to his left only to see the same words Naruto saw.

His gaze quickly switched to the blondes face, looking for any sign of emotion.

"Naruto…" he began but before he could finish, Naruto had unlocked the door, hurried in and slammed it shut.

Shino walked up to the door and examined the paint.

It was still wet…

"Naruto…I've seen the way people look at you…" He said quietly to the door.

Inside Naruto had dropped his shopping bags and pressed his back against the door before sliding down into a crouching position, preventing Shino from even tying to open the door.

"…People look at you with confusion and hate." Shino continued. "I know, I have felt that same gaze myself…all my clan have. We maybe be respected ninja but we are not the same as others. Our contract with the bugs makes us unique. It also makes us feared."

Naruto's ears had pricked up at this bit of information. His head was still buried into his arms laying across his knees however.

"People do not understand our cooperation with insects and label us as weird. Do you remember the academy…Naruto?"

Naruto's thoughts flashed back to his third year in the academy. The class had about twenty seven kids in it, many he couldn't even remember their names.

"Remember how everyone made friends, the girls like Ino and Sakura and boys like Shikamaru and Chōji."

Naruto remembered how on the first day recess everyone had been nervous and few people stood or played together.

By lunch though others were already playing together or hanging out in the shade. He remembered Ino and Sakura picking flowers and holding them against each other's hair. Shikamaru and Chōji were laying under a tree, looking out at the clouds. Naruto also remembered standing behind the tree with the swing, observing all this taking place while wishing he could have made friends that easily. Nearly all the people he'd talked to had brushed him off or avoided him. He'd lost confidence and hid at the area he felt safest at the time.

"People avoided you for a reason you couldn't understand correct?"

Silence was all greeted Shino.

"I was also told to avoid you by my mother. My father however told me to keep an open mind to your situation."

Naruto lifted his head out of his arms, his face sombre.

"I myself was alone. I stayed away from it all, preferring not to get involved with such shallow people. I did however see you and your courage do what most people couldn't and introduce yourself to all your class mates."

Naruto remembered the pain of rejection that day, some worse than others.

"I couldn't understand how one as friendly as you seemed to be being turned away by most of the population of our year. When I examined your case more closely, it seemed eerily similar to my own case. People fearing what they don't understand."

Naruto rose from his door and slowly began walking towards his bedroom, not wishing to take another trip down memory lane with Shino.

"Even though I do not yet understand you myself Naruto, I have never feared you."

Naruto froze.

"While I have yet to understand you Uzumaki I do not fear you. Instead I wish to learn more about you as a person and do not care about why people give you the looks they do."

Silence.

"We share several similarities Naruto. Other people who judge you for your negatives do not deserve your attention." Shino finished, turning his back to the red, white and green.

"Think about it…Naruto." He muttered before taking a few steps towards the edge of the building and leaping off back towards his original destination.

Many thoughts stirred in Naruto. Shino had given him food for thought. Hearing the telltale whoosh of a chakra enhanced jump, Naruto returned to his discarded shopping by the entrance and proceeded to unpack, barely making any sound as he did.

Once the perishables were away Naruto returned to his small haven inside his room. The one place in the town he felt truly safe, where he could be himself without being judged. Slipping out of his sandals Naruto dropped himself into bed and pulled the covers over his balled up form.

* * *

A certain brunette paced the grass, she was beginning to draw mud to the surface or rather crush all the grass in her path as her muttering continued.

"Where is he…" she stirred as her consciousness remained focused in her thoughts and not at the muddy patch she was creating.

"Hey! Tenten!" A feminine voice called out to the pacing weapons mistress.

Tenten looked around and saw a familiar pink blur jump over to her.

"Haku? What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Naruto…" She blushed slightly, "…you haven't seen him around have you?"

Tenten didn't miss the blush as an anger mark graced the girl's head.

"No I haven't." She replied in a sickly sweet voice. Her thoughts then doubled back. "Hey yea, I wonder where that baka is."

Haku looked at Tenten with confusion evident in her features.

"That baka is supposed to be training with me!" Tenten half yelled raising a questionable look from the newcomer.

"Oh…I wonder why he hasn't turned up." Haku smiled sweet and innocently while her thoughts ran more along the lines of, 'Because he's probably looking for me.'

"Well, if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him." Haku asked kindly as she jumped away into the small concrete jungle.

'Not if I find him first.' Tenten thought before following Haku's lead into the town.

* * *

Eventually the sky began to darken, turning from pale blue to light orange to an evening glow. Tenten and Haku were still in the midst of their search for Naruto and had now even teamed up to locate the blonde.

The blonde, however, was no where to be seen.

It was the end of a long day for some people, shops had begun closing and shifts were being switched between ninja for guarding the city walls.

One such ninja was making her own way home with the dark orange sky casting a long shadow of her.

She sighed deeply as she stretched mid-jump.

"Man, I can't believe Hamaki bitched that much. I was only a little late and it was only because…" She caught herself mid sentence.

Her home and usual assignment had a certain blonde's home between them. Since she could remember, she'd kept an eye on him as a favour to the Third. Now she did it because the kid wasn't as bad as everyone made out.

Unfortunately, everyone was a problem.

Landing on the edge of a roof the figure gazed over at Naruto's apartment. The lights were still all out despite many other peoples being on so he wasn't home. The last rays of sun had helped her catch one thing; red paint.

The figure cursed under her breath as her head and arms lolled forward in defeat.

"Jeez, I really gotta catch these basterds at some point. I'm sure it's not doing the kid any mental favours." She said to herself before fetching her cleaning supplies and jumping up to Naruto's front door.

Dipping the sponge in the water pre-treated with chemicals she set to work scrubbing the nasty message away from the jinchūriki's property.

After a very slow twenty minutes, only the last word remained.

'Ah, nearly done.' She thought as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"He might be at the ramen bar now." A voice called out.

"Well it is his favourite so why wouldn't he be." Another replied.

The woman looked out to see a pair of kunoichi jumping across buildings towards the town centre on the opposite site of the street.

'I wonder who they're looking for.' She thought before turning back to her task.

Tenten took this moment in time to glance over at the figure. The sun had now set and all she could see was a dark figure doing something to the wall.

"Hey you!" Tenten called out, stopping on the same building the recipient stood not half an hour ago. "What are you doing?"

The figure looked up, uncovering the red paint still left to wash. Now if you saw a suspicious person and the word "die" written in red on someone's wall what would you think.

Haku stopped on the building just ahead and joined Tenten in observing the figure.

"Hey, it's not what you think." The figure shouted back hastily.

Wasting no time, Tenten and Haku leapt over to the same building to confront the figure.

"Then what is it?" Tenten half asked half demanded as she and her partner landed.

"I'm doing this kid a favour." The figure replied holding her hands up in surrender revealing her bucket and sponge with a red tint.

"Doesn't look like much of a favour to me." Haku murmured loud enough to hear but with a eerie silence in her voice, her hand reaching for her senbon pouch.

"Really!" The figure tried to persuade them again. "I'm cleaning it off, look." She held out the bucket that reeked of paint and cleaning agent.

Haku relaxed slightly but kept her guard up.

"Who are you?" She demanded. "Who lives here?"

Before the woman could get an answer out, the window looking out onto the porch lit up as a light inside was switched on.

All three knew it would look very awkward if they were discovered with the word "die" on the wall and a very red sponge. All three jumped back onto different buildings before taking off. Tenten and Haku one way on the right, the figure another on the left side of the building.

Tenten and Haku bounded away from the situation, thinking about what they saw. They didn't see her face clearly but Tenten could easily guess the "cleaning culprit". The mesh undershirt and brown overcoat didn't lie.

* * *

Naruto's eyes opened slowly to look up at the ceiling. He must've fallen asleep. Shino's little speech had given him plenty to think about. Naruto had lay awake till he drifted off thinking about the similarities between Shino and himself. Now he focused, he never remembered Shino being all too friendly at the academy, he mostly just kept to himself and people left him alone. Naruto went looking for the possibility of a friend and people focused on his shortcomings whenever he made himself known.

The nine tailed beast dwelled within the young child just as Shino's bugs lay within him though his bugs were more literal than Naruto's guest. Naruto thought hard about what he could remember of Shino. While Shino never approached him, he neither put him down during their time together at the academy. Shino did seem genuine when he said he didn't fear him, many of the adults looked at him with fear or hate in their eyes but now Naruto understood their glares. While Shino's offer to learn more about Naruto filled him with joy, he couldn't help but dwell on what could happen if his "furry problem" got out. If Shino was anyone to go by, none of the kids in his year knew of the fox inside him.

If they found out would they treat him as the adults did?

Naruto sighed and kicked the covers off, rising from the bed and making his way to the kitchen.

It was getting dark, he'd missed his training with Tenten. He would have to beg and plead for her forgiveness. He laughed at that thought, flicking the kitchen light on in the process.

He switched the kettle on and rummaged in the cupboard for his newly bought ramen and prepared it. The kettle nearly covered up the sounds made by fleeing people made outside.

Naruto's new senses were keen and could still detect three presences leaving his porch. He didn't want to deal with whatever new message was outside so he let things lie for now. When he made his new trap jutsu he'd be able to catch the culprits. The jutsu was far from finished and was merely an idea in Naruto's head for now.

The blonde settled on his sofa a few minutes later, his jacket draped over the back as he tucked into one of the few pleasures he had.

"**That boy was right…**" A deep voice rumbled within Naruto. "**…maybe it is time to show people what you're really like.**"

Naruto scoffed, if people thought he had half a brain they'd try to discourage him as much as possible.

"**If you become Hokage, what do you want people to see in their leader? An immature prankster? Someone who isn't fit to lead?**"

The blonde remainedsilent.

"**If you don't show promise as a ninja, how is the old man ever going to see if you're ready to take his place?**"

'Fine I get it alright.' Naruto thought back, his ramen still steaming in the cup.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes as thoughts and scenarios flashed through Naruto's head.

Naruto sighed as he took in a few mouthfuls of ramen before looking up at his ceiling in deep thought.

"Fine…starting tomorrow, everyone's going to see a new Naruto." He announced proudly.

* * *

The next morning, the young blonde awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. A light breakfast later and he head off towards Team 7's training ground. The red paint was gone and Naruto had renewed spirits about his future. At least in short term, everything was looking up.

The finals of the chūnin exam were fast approaching. Naruto followed his training schedule harshly after a few small modifications. Mornings were now spent researching jutsu knowledge or training with Gamasonshō in taijutsu. Naruto was making great headway in both areas with several advances in both fields. Small advances but still significant. Afternoons were spent training with Tenten. The training was more footing and skill based rather than actual combat. Tenten wanted to fight Naruto at his best and didn't want him to learn all her steps before the match. Another kenjutsu master dropped by every so often to watch the two. He was geatly fascinated by Tenten's knowledge in swords and to learn that she was just as good with nearly every weapon imaginable was overwhelming. That was two students he was going to pass his knowledge on to.

One week before the finals, Tenten told the blonde he had to train on his own. She needed more time to develop her techniques to "Kick your ass!". With that, the duo's training finished and Naruto forced his body to comply with the knowledge of forms and footwork in his head. The ex-mist nin admired his determination. He just hoped he showed such promise under his methods.

The nights were then spent either resting or training under a certain tailed demon on alternating days. Said beast was training him for his next "gift" whatever it may be.

* * *

The next week and a half flew by with one being so busy. Naruto flopped on his bed the night before the finals, his body aching and tired but stronger. Everyone was going to see just what he was capable of tomorrow…

* * *

A/N: Gomen'nasai! Yes this was the chapter that I had already begun writing but several events this summer have gotten in the way. Two of which being the infamous "Writers Block!" and the other a semi-family crisis with my 14 year old bro going to move ½ way around the world to live with our twat of a father down under. This chapter has undergone several major rewrites and I'm still not completely sure of the final product. This is the chapter I definitely need as many reviews as possible. There will be cake of course, just ask GLaDOS for a piece. (For any that get the reference extra cake.)

So yea, have fun and keep reading pplz!


	14. Chapter 14

**The New Naruto**

I'm back guys. Right because it'll cut away from the action, there will be little or no interruptions during the fights like "XYZ gasps from the stands". If there is something like that it's coz it's either needed or something.

Another thing to note, the arena holds quite a few trees, it may seem like a lot especially when compared to the games but I think I've added only a few more when compared to the anime.

Anyway have fun, proper A/N at the end.

* * *

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Chūnin Finals**

Today was the day. The day Naruto finally became a chūnin, or so he thought as he rose from his dreams of being a chūnin.

Even before he rose from dream world, his face graced an unusually big smile as they time drew ever closer to the finals.

"Yatta! Today's the day!" He shouted and pumped his fist in the air as he sat up in bed.

A soft thumping could be heard on his floor, the sound seemed to be coming from underneath.

Naruto looked out the window. The sun was fully above horizon making it's way up to the centre.

"Baka neighbours, I didn't make that much noise." Naruto grumbled as he shrugged off the covers and stomped heavily around his apartment getting ready for the upcoming match.

'Temari of the Sand, about three years older than me…' Naruto began reciting his enemy's statistics in his head. 'She carries a huge metal fan and can attack at range with wind by swinging it.' He finished as he wolfed down his daily breakfast cereal.

"**Don't get too cocky and you'll do fine.**" The fox encouraged sleepily.

'That's new…' Naruto thought. The fox opened one eye in curiosity. '…never heard you actually praise me before. I must be growing on you' He chuckled.

The old demon closed his eye again calmly before answering.

"…**it wasn't praise, I just have faith in channelling my skills through you.**"

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he prepared to argue through thought with the fox before taking a second to think about what he was doing and let the annoyed feelings leave him.

'**Well well, seems he really is changing…**' The fox thought, his lips curling into a smirk as he settled down to sleep. As if there was anything else to do until Naruto's fight.

* * *

The blonde promptly locked up his house and left through the back, standing on the platform he constructed before taking in the sights and the sounds of the day, breathing deeply.

He felt a surge of energy rush through his body as his muscles and bones received the cool air and the energy from breaky.

"Yosh! Today's the day I become a chūnin!" He announced proudly to the city.

A few people below heard this cry and looked up to see the blonde. Local residents either scowled or smiled at Naruto's decree while out of town gamblers or visitors grew curious with the genin holding the highest odds to win.

Naruto then looked down into the street as he noticed people looking up at him. He waved with a familiar fake grin upon his face before leaping away towards the stadium, following the small crowd of people walking the same direction.

* * *

Ino Yamanaka stepped outside her family's shop as he father followed suit.

"Ready hun?" Inoichi asked kindly as he waved to his wife at the checkout counter.

"Hai, I can't wait to see Sasuke-kun!" Ino replied smiling as they walked side by side with the crowd towards the stadium.

Inoichi was dressed in his normal ninja attire consisting of his leaf headband, black overcoat and grey jacket and pants complete with black and silver belt. His blond hair still cut in the mullet his wife thought needed trimming constantly. He still had work to do after the exam so why bother changing.

Ino was dressed in lighter clothes than usual, her bandages were gone completely and her dark purple top was replaced with a light orange with the Yamanaka clan symbol above her heart. Her purple skirt gone in favours of light blue shorts and as always, her blonde hair hanging down her back with her bangs covering the right side of her face.

"Yahooooo!" A shout was heard from overhead.

The Yamanaka duo looked up as an orange and black blur shot along the buildings, speeding towards the stadium away from the crowd.

Ino sighed after realizing who it was.

"It's only Naruto."

Her father looked at her curiously.

"What's wrong? He just seems energetic today."

Ino groaned.

"Naruto's always energetic. He's also annoying, rude and always picks a fight with Sasuke-kun."

The pair were now walking towards the stadium entrance for spectators and people were handing out pamphlets to everyone entering.

"Well maybe that's how he managed to make it into the finals. He spent time sparring and training to beat Sasuke that he became at least somewhat strong to make it this far and yet you spent your time fantasising over the Uchiha." Inoichi chuckled as his daughter scowled.

"No! Naruto's a dead last and always will be, he only beat some nobody from the hidden waterfall. Sizo or Shiro I think."

Inoichi then had a very curious memory flicker across his brain.

"Shiro Lyons?" He asked.

"Yea, that's it…wait, how do you know." She asked, now confused.

"Oh Shikaku relayed the match information from Shikamaru." Inoichi bluffed. Ino thought nothing of it and just shrugged while Inoichi's thoughts concerning his money were now changing.

The blonde had disappeared over the top of the stadium edge by the time the duo had received theirs and entered the seating area.

"Hey, there's you're friend Sakura, why don't you go sit by her." Inoichi said as he spotted his own team mates Chōza Akimichi and Shikaku Nara.

Ino turned to give him a hard look but he'd already disappeared.

'What the hell dad!' She thought to him through their unique telepathic link.

She got no reply and sighed, trying to look for somewhere else to sit. Unfortunately with seats starting to fill and the beginning just moments away, the only space's left were near or around Sakura and Ino regretfully took Sakura over strangers any day.

The pinkette felt someone settle into the seat next to her.

She turned and looked at her arch nemesis in love; Ino Yamanaka.

"What are you doing here Ino-pig." Sakura teased.

"Baka, both my team mates are in the final billboard brow." Ino shot back.

"I mean couldn't you have sat elsewhere?"

"Why? This seat's the best to rub it in you're face when Sasuke kisses me after he wins."

Sakura glared.

"Like hell! He'll kiss me!"

Needless to say, this went on a bit as more interesting things were going on.

* * *

"Thirteen thousand ryo?" The bookie gasped along with a red haired chubby man and a scarred, pineapple haired jōnin.

"What? It's not that much." Inoichi reasoned with the three.

"B…but it's on him!" Chōza said, still shocked.

Shikakau was the first to regain his composure and tried to see the logic behind Inoichi's bet.

"So? I have a feeling he may surprise us." Inoichi just smiled.

"…uh fine." the bookie handed the blonde his betting ticket stamped with his bet information and odds before taking the money behind the counter.

"And just what do you base that logic on?" Shikaku asked, trying to probe for more information.

"Simple, remember when we visited the waterfall?"

Both nodded.

"He beat a Lyons."

* * *

Said blonde was standing in the centre of the grassy field along with the other participants of the finals. All except one however.

"You guys are the heroes of this final competition. Present yourselves accordingly." The chūnin standing with them muttered as a semi-order.

Naruto was standing straight but upon glancing around he couldn't help but notice something.

"Hey…Shikamaru?" He whispered as he stood next to the bored genius.

Shikamaru's eyes just turned to look at Naruto, signalling he was listening.

"Where's Sasuke?"

He shrugged glancing around too to check that the Uchiha really wasn't here.

Naruto decided to get a better look around, may as well check who came to cheer for him, he reasoned to himself.

Blink.

Red slitted eyes now scanned the crowd as his now active brain tried to keep up with all the information entering.

Sakura was up in the stands with Ino fighting about something.

'At least she turned up.' Naruto thought before remembering Sasuke.

A pink shirt and brown hair stuck out as Naruto spotted Haku smiling from the stands next to a…bandaged faced Zabuza, would that guy ever show his mouth in public.

Further scanning revealed Anko and Iruka talking in the stands, both sporting Naruto-like goggles round her neck and on his forehead respectively.

Lavender eyes met his own as Naruto spotted Hinata close to the front of the stands sitting next to a grinning Kiba and yipping Akamaru. She looked much better than their last encounter which made the blonde smile inside.

He gave her a genuine cheeky grin and a thumbs up.

Now when the term red-as-a-tomato comes up, who does it remind you of no matter where you hear it?

The lavender Hyūga proceeded to go bright red before pushing her index fingers together, her head bowed so that her hair covered her eyes.

For a brief moment, Naruto thought something was wrong before Hinata looked up and her left arm stretched out in front of her.

On the end of said arm was Hinata's hand in a very un-Hinata like gesture; her fingers were clenched and her thumb was up.

Despite having so much blood in her face, Hinata managed to fill her arm with enough to return Naruto's gesture.

The blonde laughed before a soft red glow graced his own cheeks. Only a little but still noticeable. Noticed by a certain senbon wielder who rose from her seat and tried to shuffle past Zabuza.

As she passed his hand shot out and grabbed her collar before gripping it tightly. Clear as the message was, Haku just tried to walk faster to escape her sensei's grip, her features changing to resemble one of inner Sakura's rages albeit a small one.

Kiba just chuckled as Hinata withdrew into herself.

'Lucky bastard.' he thought.

Naruto was disheartened to not spot the person he thought was guaranteed to turn up. Try as he might, the oil headband and white mane didn't reveal itself as he scanned the stadium again.

* * *

"Any sign of Sasuke yet?" The third Hokage asked. The old man was sat in the middle of the stands near the top in a throne or as he liked to call it, "My seat".

The jōnin standing next to the old man leant down and whispered in his ear.

"No." The jōnin replied. "A team of ANBU Black Ops are searching for him, but so far, they've found nothing. He may already be in Orochimaru's hands, in which case, of course, we may never find him."

The Hokage sighed.

"I understand."

Three figures then made themselves known as the Hokage turned to greet the new arrivals. Two bodyguards encompassed the third. They wore long brown cloaks covering them completely with only their heads exposed. Then one on the left had weird blue markings around his eyes and mouth that continued round to the back of his head passing under his ears topped with a white, dusty turban and sound headband. The one on the right appeared to be a large stocky man with more muscles in his face than brains from the looks of it. His eyes were closed as if squinting. He also supported a dusty turban and sand headband. The main attraction in the centre wore a large blue hat similar to the Hokage except it was blue where the Hokage's was read and had the kanji for "Wind" on the front. The rest of his attire included: a white veil over most of his face, a white scarf, a long white cloak and blue robes held down with white cloth acting as a belt.

"Ah ha! You made it. Welcome Lord Kazekage." He smiled.

The greeting was not warmly returned.

Down in the stadium, three bodies stiffened as they looked up into the stands. Gaara, Temari and Kankurō's eyes narrowed at the sight of the blue hatted, white robed man they called "father". The elder siblings glanced over at the red head to see him trying to burn a hole straight through his tormentor.

"You must be weary having come all this way."

"Not at all, I'm only glad that for your sake, the arena is here in the leaf village." The Kazekage replied in an eerily quiet voice. "As strong as you are, I'm sure a long journey would've prove difficult for you, at your age. Isn't it about time you decided who would succeed you as Hokage?"

At this last line, the Hokage burst out laughing.

"You act as if I'm an old man, there's plenty of life left in me. No I plan on staying here for some time to come." The "old" man rose from his seat and walked towards the edge of the balcony before turning back to face his guest. "Now then, It's time for the final rounds to begin."

* * *

After a snap from Genma, the special jōnin that lectured them before, Naruto was now standing to attention as the Hokage began addressing everyone.

"Welcome all! And our deepest thanks for coming here to the village hidden in the leaves for this years chūnin selection." His booming voice called out. "We have come to the final competition between the eleven candidates who made it through the preliminaries. We ask that no one leaves until all the matches have been completed."

The announcement was met with cheers as everyone looked to the centre field, eager for the matches to begin.

"You said eleven candidates…aren't you missing one?" The Kazekage said. The Hokage sighed inwardly before making his way back to his seat.

Several members of the crowd seemed to have noticed this two and hushed mutterings took place mostly around gamblers.

"Where the hell is that Uchiha?"

"He better show up, I've got twenty thousand on him!"

Several conversations like this were picked up by the fan girl duo who were both thinking the same thing.

'Where are you Sasuke-kun.'

* * *

"Hey…"

Genma turned to the bored genin.

"What'll happen if Sasuke doesn't turn up?"

Genma just replied dully, as if bored of the hype around the so-called Uchiha prodigy.

"If a candidate is not here in the arena at the time his name is called…he forfeit's the match."

Naruto's eyes widened.

As much as he despised that stuck up, he was his team mate and slightly worried. Sasuke had always talked about getting stronger to kill…someone and this would only put him one step closer to that goal. So why wasn't he here?

Come to think of it, he hadn't encountered Sasuke at all since the preliminaries.

* * *

"All right, listen up. The terrain's different but the rules are the same as before; that is that there are no rules. The match continues till one candidate acknowledges defeat or dies." Genma announced. None of the genin however flinched at this news.

"That being said, if I determine that a match is over I can step in and stop it at any time, and no arguments permitted. Understood?"

Silence.

"All right then, these are the opponents for the first match: Shikamaru Nara vs. Chōji Akimichi."

* * *

Up in the stands, two if the previous Ino-Shika-Cho trio were now looking on excitedly as the third leaned back in his chair relaxed.

The one relaxing was strange as Shikaku Nara just sighed and looked up at the sky.

"Ne, what's up Shikaku? Aren't you gonna watch your son's match?" Inoichi asked politely.

"I have no need to watch. I have already predicted the outcome of this match." He replied calmly. Chōza looked over curious.

"Oh yea? Who's gonna win then?"

"Well I put my money on the winner so you figure it out."

In the few seconds it took for Chōza to recall the memory Shikaku had began laughing loudly.

"Ah! No way! My son will easily beat your son with all the training I've given him!" Chōza shouted.

Shikaku just laughed again.

"As I predicted you would so that's why I taught my son some interesting counters."

The two continued squabbling while Inoichi, the barrier between the two, focused on the match.

* * *

Naruto nodded to both Shikamaru and Chōji as he passed them with a smile on his face. The two nodded back at his gesture before the blonde ran ahead to catch up with Tenten.

The genin were slowly trickling out towards the inner waiting room that overlooked the field below the stands, leaving only Genma and the genin.

"You ready for this Chōji?" Shikamaru asked calmly.

"You kidding? I'm gonna beat you faster than I can eat ramen." Chōji replied loudly, his fist raised in front of him smirking at the challenge.

Both moved into opposite positions from each other as Genma stood between them.

"That's the spirit Chōji, just don't forget to pay up when I finish with you."

"All right! Now let the first match begin!" Genma shouted as he jumped back against the far wall.

* * *

Chōji reacted immediately, jumping back several times knowing his friends first move.

He was indeed correct as Shikamaru finished the signs for his jutsu.

"Shadow…" He started but never finished as he released the technique.

"Heh, you should know better Shikamaru. I'm not gonna fall for that." Chōji's hands formed the ram, then his clans special seal. "Expansion justu!" he called out as his belly inflated. Shikamaru noticed the time difference in Chōji's refined chakra control. The chubby boy's limbs withdrew into the sphere of fat and begun rolling toward Shikamaru.

'His speed has also increased.' he noted and jumped to the right sharply. The downside of Chōji's technique was that he couldn't turn quickly.

This thought was quickly erased as a small burst of blue chakra shot out of the opposite side of the ball.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as the ball of Chōji was now barely feet from him.

His body begged him not to but his need to live outweighed the need to move. In one swift jump, Shikamaru leaped over Chōji.

Blurred hands and,

"Shadow Bind Jutsu!" Shikamaru called out.

Being in the air, Shikamaru's shadow was still on the ground, smaller but closer to Chōji than he dared go.

A familiar tendril extended from his shadow.

Another blue burst of chakra from Chōji and now he was tumbling back towards Shikamaru. The shadow bind tendril made the connection but the force of the "boulder" kept it going. Shikamaru landed and released the technique.

Too slow.

Not a second later and Chōji's rolling form had caught up hit him.

Several winces and cries from the crowd could be heard as Chōji ended his technique a few seconds later.

He turned and looked back to see his lazy opponent pushing himself out of the dirt, cursing.

"This isn't gonna work…" he muttered and before he could even check the damage on himself, leapt into the small crop of trees near the edge of the stadium.

Chōji's eyes widened as he saw the enormous shadow the trees cast. There was no way to get near there without getting caught by Shikamaru.

Backing up a little, Chōji's mind thinks back to all his experience with his friend and tries to think of his next move.

What came next wasn't expected however.

A small explosion blew up a tree in front of Chōji.

Everyone was on the edge of their seat, none more so than the remaining Ino-Shika-Cho trio, or at least two thirds.

Chōji looked confused but as the dust settled he could see a figure through the smoke. Shikamaru stood with his open hand aimed at the ground. Next to him sat two small piles of kunai and shuriken.

"Shadow Endgame Jutsu!" He said and several black tendrils of shadow emerged from the ground. A second later all of them had at least one kunai or shuriken on them and hurled them through the clear path at Chōji.

"Damn it." Chōji cursed and jumped to the side.

Shkamaru leaped up and bounced of a tree branch, shooting through the canopy with the tendrils following him. When he spotted Chōji again the shadows hurled more of the deadly weapons at him.

Chōji's speed wasn't enough as several nicked his clothes and skin before on digging into his thigh sent him tumbling along the ground.

Shikamaru landed on a branch and balanced before turning back to the fight.

Chōji yanked the kunai from his thigh and threw it directly at Shikamaru.

The boy simply blocked it with another kunai his shadow handed him.

The small distraction gave Chōji enough time to wrap several red and white papers around kunai and hurl them toward the trees. Some hit the trees closest and others flew in further.

Shikamaru jumped again as he felt the tree he was standing on get struck below.

The shadow fled as the trees lit up. The explosion tore trees apart sending a few splintering and burning and others toppling.

Chōji chuckles as debris flies into the air.

The air moved aside as a kunai wedged itself in the ground at Chōji's feet. The boy's eyes glanced up to see Shikamaru again putting effort into capturing him. His hands flickered through the two signs. Chōji tried to dodge but found his body non-responsive.

Shikamaru smirked.

"Shadow Bind Jutsu!" he called out. The small shadow he cast on the floor connected with other shadows of bits of destroyed tree and made a small path for Chōji.

Tensing his muscles, Chōji also demonstrated his training as his right arm began growing over twice its normal size.

A second later, and Chōji's body was free. Whatever jutsu shikamaru used on the kunai was gone and Chōji's giant fist aimed right for the shadow user.

Still too slow was Shikamaru's shadow as Chōji's fist slammed into him sending him hurtling up in the air.

"Gotcha!" Chōji yelled triumphantly watching Shikamaru fly just before it burst into smoke revealing a log.

A small yellow sphere flew past Chōji's face before glowing bright white

"What?"

A huge amount of light burst from the small ball in front of him.

Chōji turned from the light only to see a similar one behind him with a large shadow in the middle.

"Shadow Sewing Jutsu!" The figure that owned the shadow called out.

Chōji looked at his feet and saw his own shadow connected with the one in front of him before several more tendrils wrapped around his arms, legs and chest before pulling him backwards.

The Akimichi fell back and landed hard on the ground.

From the stands it looked as though Chōji had literally been sewn to the ground with thick black thread.

"Shadow Strangle Jutsu!" Shikamaru called out as one of the tendrils split and wrapped itself around Chōji's throat.

Looking down between his feet, Chōji could see Shikamaru walking closer with his hands in a seal.

"You only have two choices. Give up or die." Shikamaru said darkly.

"Ok buddy, you win this time." Chōji sighed.

"Ah finally." The techniques released themselves as Shikamaru fell backwards and landed, panting heavily. "I don't know how much more I could take."

Genma stepped into the middle of the field before announcing,

"Winner, Shikamaru Nara!"

The crowd let out huge cheers for both boys, they'd kicked of the finals with one hell of a fight.

* * *

"Told ya." Shikaku smirked over at his team mates. Chōza wasn't listening, he was leaning back in his chair laughing loudly.

"Good work son! You made the Akimichi Clan proud!" He shouted down to his son.

Chōji looked up and waved at his dad and the crowd before letting his head drop to the floor letting out a single word,

"Fooooood…"

In the competitor stands, things were less cheerful over all but that was due to the grumps of the group, mainly Gaara and Neji.

"Woo! Great fight guys! Naruto shouted to his friends as he gripped the rails tightly, pumped up for his own fight now.

"Yosh! Your flames of youth burn bright!" A green clad Lee joined in, his pupils becoming fire and pumping his fist in the air.

Tenten was preoccupied both calming Lee and Naruto down before they wore themselves out for their matches and she really wanted to test out Naruto's skills.

Neji just scowled at his team mates but felt a little admiration at Shikamaru's planning skills, he would make a fine leader.

Temari was watching the battle with some interest. That Nara kid really had a thing for planning and traps. She smiled at her thoughts about said boy.

Kin was just leaning against the wall watching a different target. Gaara was the object in her eye and after her team mate was killed in the preliminaries, she was determined to avenge him.

Gaara himself was not enjoying the sight before him. There was barely any blood spilled in that match and since no one had died he couldn't care less.

Kankurō had turned his back and was making his way to the stairs. It was his battle next and with his research into the Hyūga, he felt confident about the outcome.

Neji noticed and followed the sand ninja down.

Back in the field Shikamaru and Chōji were trying to help each other up as medical ninja quickly helped them off the field. With no major damage, they would be fine but just needed a good rest for now.

Genma looked over at the stairs as the two competitors silently entered the arena, the sand was smirking, the leaf was scowling.

"Uh…Next Match, Neji Hyūga vs. Kankurō of the Sand." he announced.

After seeing the first match, the crowd was thirsty for more.

Hinata looked down into the arena at her cousin. He looked no different than he did when they fought a month ago. His eyes were narrowed at his opponent as he took his position as if he looked down on him.

"What are you thinking Hinata?…" Kiba asked as he felt his team mates nervousness.

Hinata just stayed silent and looked into her lap.

Kiba looked down into the arena and glared at Neji. He would've like to be down there kicking his ass for what he did to Hinata but Sasuke had other plans.

* * *

Naruto watched as the stuck up Hyūga took his place. He matched Neji's glare and tried to will him to burst into flames.

"Go get him Neji!" A cheer came from beside him.

Naruto saw Tenten waving her arms and cheering her team mate.

"You can do it Neji!" A similar cheer from his opposite side this time.

Lee was doing a much more enthusiastic cheer for the Hyūga but that was Lee's nature.

Naruto sighed and rested his head on his hands on the rail, looking defeated.

"Hey, what's wrong Naruto?" Tenten asked, bending over trying to look at his face.

Naruto closed his eyes an sighed again.

"How can you be cheering for that stuck up brat."

"What are you talking about Naruto? He is our friend and comrade facing a foreign ninja. How could we not be cheering him on?" Lee replied.

"While that is true, I feel the urge to cheer for the sand." Naruto replied.

Tenten's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wha-? Naruto my friend, you cannot be serious." Lee said shocked.

Naruto just remained silent as he watched Genma step up to the two combatants.

"I just wish it was me down there to kick the crap out of him." He muttered, glancing into the stands at the female Hyūga. She looked scared and she wasn't even fighting.

'I swear I'll make him pay.'

"Naruto…" Tenten muttered.

* * *

"Ready?" The two boys didn't move from their poses. "Begin!"

Kankurō jumped back and reached over his shoulder.

"I'll end this quickly!" He smirked and yanked one of the bandages.

In the blur over movement and bandages, Kankurō had jumped back several yards and Crow was now hovering just in front of him.

"You'll go out with a bang!" He shouted as the strange three eyed puppet opened it's jaw, shooting out a round object.

It was heading straight for Neji.

The Hyūga jumped to the side only to face hundreds senbon approaching faster than he could dodge, drops of purple liquid threatening to come off the end. The ball sped past Neji's old position and exploded rather violently a way off.

"Gotcha…" Kankurō muttered.

"Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!" Neji called out as he spun on his heals, his arms outstretched.

Splinters of blue appeared from Neji as his whole body turned blue before it expanded in an dome shape all around him

The senbon flew through the air and bounced away as they hit the spinning blue wall.

* * *

"How can he…?

"Who taught him that?" Several mutterings were heard behind Hinata, Kiba and Akamaru.

The trio turned and caught sight of several Hyūga up in the stand looking displeased.

"What's wrong with them?" Kiba muttered.

"The er…technique is reserved for the main house only…" Hinata muttered back.

Akamaru yipped as Kiba's eyes narrowed.

'Why did Neji learn the attack then?'

* * *

As the last senbon flicked off the shield dispersed as Neji charged at his target.

Kankurō, for his part, didn't expect that.

Chakra flowed through Neji and up to his eyes.

"Byakugan!" He said as the veins around his eyes pulsed.

Kankurō knew what this was. His plan to switch with Crow wouldn't have worked with this guy. It was a good thing he'd done his research.

"Oh yea? Well how about this!" He shouted. He flicked his fingers and Crow responded.

It's left arm flicked open at the elbow and fired something out.

Neji watched as the shell drew closer.

"Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!" He shouted as the blue dome appeared once again.

The shell exploded on the barrier and a purple fog emerged from it.

The puppet user's smirk fell as the gas was merely brushed away from the rotating dome.

A large amount had dispersed as Neji stopped spinning.

"My eyes see everything. A shell with nothing visible inside means only one thing…" He muttered. His arms hung behind as he dashed towards his foe.

Kankurō flinched before shifting his arms in front of him. Crow jumped between the pair holding its arms out to Neji.

He scoffed as he slid in for a gentle fist strike.

Kankurō flicked his index fingers.

Dual blades emerged from Crow's wrists and thrust down at Neji.

The Hyūga appeared indifferent as his arms snapped to his sides and he slid under the puppet.

The knives impaled in the ground and Neji stood up behind Crow.

"Game over." He muttered.

Neji waved his hands around in the air in front of him like he was striking the air with his gentle fist.

Confused faces in the crowd soon gained knowledge as Crow dropped useless to the floor.

Kankurō flinched.

"You are a puppet user. You control your weapon with chakra strings. Without those strings your puppet is useless." Neji stated. "Further more, with my Byakugan, I could see every weapon concealed inside that thing as well as the strings you used to activate them."

"Proctor!" Kankurō called out. Genma turned to face him.

"I give up." He called out.

Hushed mutterings covered the crowd as Genma looked a little confused himself.

"I know when I'm out matched." Kankurō admitted.

"Uh…Winner Neji Hyūga!" Genma called out as the crowd slowly began cheering and applauding.

* * *

Naruto's smile dimmed a bit, he'd hoped those blades had at least struck Neji if only slightly but the proud Hyūga won the match calmly and quickly without a scratch.

Naruto huffed in annoyance.

"Come on Naruto, cheer up, at least our leaf comrade won." Lee said enthusiastically.

"Yea, yea but it was only because he saw all his tricks that the sand surrendered."

"That is not true Naruto. Neji would have beaten him regardless!" Lee spouted, proud of his team mate regardless.

"Yea, come on Naruto, Neji trained just as hard as us for the exams." Tenten added.

Naruto sighed and gave a small smile to the weapon mistress.

"Fine, he did show that cool spin thing after all."

Tenten smiled back and looked down at the field as both genin made their way back, both uninjured from the ordeal.

As they did, several cheers from the stand followed them, mostly from the gamblers though. Neji did have some of the best odds.

Slow footsteps could be heard as Naruto turned to see the back of flaming red hair and a large sandy gourd. Gaara was already making his way towards the field.

"Hmph" was all the sound ninja muttered before taking the optional route, over the railing and landing with grace at the bottom.

Kankurō had already passed under but Neji's eyes met hers as she landed.

Cold and harsh were the only words to describe them.

'No wonder the Hyūga's are so frightening.' Kin thought. Even she got scared sometimes.

Just as Neji passed her by and made for the stairs a cry of pain could be heard echoing through the corridor.

The genin's heads turned as they recognised the voice to be Kankurō's.

In a flash the blonde made for the stairs. The blonde with the ponytails anyway.

"Gaara!…" She shouted down ahead of her.

The remaining genin looked at each other uneasily. Tenten and Lee looked towards each other as the orange and black ninja between them was following after his soon-to-be opponent.

"Gaara stop it!" Came from ahead of him, he sped up as he almost slammed into the rail bordering the stairs.

Down below he could see the red head with his arm outstretched.

Sand was flowing from his gourd toward the loser of the previous match.

"…Gaa…ra!" Kankurō coughed out as the pressure began to increase.

Naruto's eyes widened as Temari stepped in front of her younger brother. "Gaara stop this!" She half ordered, half pleaded with the boy.

Gaara's face was one of amusement before Temari stepped in, now it was one of annoyance.

"The weak have no place in this world, you should do well to remember this!" Gaara said softly but clearly.

Temari's eyes widened in shock as her brother's fingers twitched.

Slam!

The sand dropped from Kankurō's body as he dropped onto the stairs coughing and slipping down a few.

He looked up to see Gaara facing locks of blonde as his back was pressed into the wall.

"What the…" Kankurō muttered before the strain on his body became greater now blood was returning and the rush sent him into unconsciousness.

Gaara himself was now the one to be surprised.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" An angry Naruto shouted up close to the demon vessel.

Sand now sped from Kankurō's position back to it's owner's assailant as the chakra realised the danger.

Naruto's hand released it's grip on Gaara's shirt and returned to his side as he jumped back, his feet landing on the wall and sticking there.

The sand swirled around his position before returning to Gaara's gourd.

It was only then he spoke.

"I am exterminating the weak…" Gaara muttered, "…he is not strong enough to remain alive."

Taking the opportunity, Temari rushed down to her brother. Checking his pulse quickly and feeling a beat, she wrapped an arm around her and took off down the stairs.

"There's no such thing!" Naruto shouted back. "Everyone has a right to life. The strong protect the weaker so they in turn can get stronger and protect others!"

"Hmph, why should I protect those who cannot defend themselves." Gaara muttered before turning his back and continuing down the stairs as if nothing happened.

Other than, "because it's not right," Naruto had nothing.

He was speechless as the sand ninja walked out of sight down the stairs.

Naruto cursed himself internally as he dropped to the floor and walked back to the viewing platform.

"Naruto, what happened?" He was quizzed immediately after he turned the corner. Looking around only Lee and Tenten were left up here.

Lee waited for an answer as Tenten looked worried.

"Gaara," he said bluntly, "punishing the 'weak'."

"We saw." Tenten chipped in, "That sand girl was taking the other one to the medical centre, will he be ok?"

"He should be…" Naruto muttered back, unsure himself.

Loud conversations could be heard from the crowd as Neji entered the room.

He took one look at Naruto before his eyes narrowed.

"Neji!" Lee called out as his friend entered. "Congratulations!" He shouted, giving his trade mark thumbs up as Neji took his place by the wall over viewing the field near the railing.

"It wasn't hard Lee…" He said in a monotone voice. "…and be quiet."

Lee and Tenten shook off the comment but Naruto silently cursed the Hyūga.

"Uh…Anyway, onto the next match!" A voice shouted from below.

Naruto, Tenten and Lee's attention turned back to the field as they looked down below.

"Gaara of the Sand vs. Kin Tsuchi!" Genma called out as the crowd looked on uneasily.

Many spectators were from the leaf and with two foreign ninja, they were unsure how to react.

Basic cheering won out as a low rumble echoed in the stadium for the two fighters.

* * *

"You're gonna pay for what you did to Dosu!" Kin declared as she readied herself.

Gaara just remained silent with his arms folded as she spoke. The only difference being the slight smile in the corner of his mouth he was struggling to hold back.

"Ready?…Begin!" Gemna announced, jumping back faster than the previous rounds.

In an instant, Kin pulled a scroll from her pouch as the force helped it unroll.

Gaara's sand was already on the move and lunging straight for her in the shape of spears.

Kin gasped as she jumped back, the scroll still unrolling revealing seal after seal.

The sand followed her as she darted back, ever increasing it's speed until she turned just before hitting a tree.

The sand didn't follow as fast and struck the tree head on, piercing through it as if it was paper.

The remaining sand changed direction as the spears slowly pulled back going from the front to melding with the sand behind.

The sand and paper now flowed together, weaving about as if in a strange sort of dance. That would be had not the sand Nearest the end begin coating the paper, it's grains ripping it to shreds.

Kin's scroll ran out of paper as a bright red seal revealed itself at the end.

"Take this!" She cried as she bit her thumb and wiped it over the seal.

It instantly reacted as it shone bright red and the glow flew through the other black seals.

What could only be described as a barrage flew out of the seals.

Like a flock of arrows, many of the object curved high in the sky and flew down towards the still red head.

The extra sand on his back quickly disintegrated and reformed in front of him, protecting him from the attack.

Many of the projectiles landed all around the sand genin and a sound made itself known.

The light tinkling of a bell could be heard only this time it was a thousand times louder.

Gaara's sand was now almost level with Kin as she flew through her hand signs.

Gaara looked to the side and saw blue senbon after senbon impaled on the ground with a small silver bell tied to the end of each of them.

His memory quickly flashed back to the preliminaries as his hands unfurled, directing the sand around Kin to speed up.

Too late.

"Sound Blitz Jutsu! Volume One Thousand!" She cried out as the bell's tinkled again.

Gaara's sand fell to the ground as it's owner lost his control, his hands flying to his ears to block out the screeching sound he was now hearing.

Both of Kin's hands were now extended towards Gaara in a fashion similar to his Sand Coffin technique.

People in the stands looked down as the boy writhed in pain at the justu, whatever was happening to Gaara, they didn't see it. All they heard was the tinkling of bells.

Gaara's gourd moved round his head, the sand doing it's best to try and plug up his ears as best as it could.

"You like that?" Kin called out. "The volume of one thousand bells focused on a single point! Well two to be precise, do your ears hurt?" She yelled in a dark voice.

Gaara cried out in pain as he flicked his head back, trying everything to stop the ringing.

"I will never forgive you for what you did to Dosu! Never!" Kin continued as she stepped closer to Gaara. "Now to finish you off!" She smirked as she closed in, flicking her left wrist as a kunai slid out; held in place by her grey armband.

She was merely a few feet from ending it all when the ground gave way beneath Gaara. The brown dirt pushed up as beige sand replaced it, wrapping tendrils around Gaara's ankles and pulling him under.

The crowd was just as surprised as Kin when her opponent vanished.

She began to panic as she realised she couldn't hold the justu, she had no where to focus that would help.

Her arms faltered as did her footing.

Moments later a rush of sand exploded from the ground beneath her as if a volcano just blew it's top.

She cried out as the sand coated her limbs and head.

The sand floated in the air like a large sphere as red hair emerged from the ground she was standing on not moments ago.

Two arms then a head followed as both Gaara's arms were raised and held the sand in place as the sand beneath him pushed him back to surface level.

His ear's were now bleeding but his face couldn't be happier; his smirk nearly reaching his eyes and they too could be described as smiling.

The crowd gasped as the fight continued, the preliminary fighters looking on in horror as they knew the next move.

Genma also saw this coming and moved fast, calling the match at the same time.

"Stop the…" He began but was cut off before he could reach the centre and the two fighters.

"Bloody Sand Burial!" Gaara laughed deeply as both his hands clenched together tightly.

People gasped as the sand convulsed, the left and right side split from one another, the middle revealing a dripping bloody centre with eerie white bone poking out from one side.

Gaara's hands then opened for the briefest second and slammed together clenched around each other.

The two orbs reciprocated and slammed into each other.

The result was the sand smashing together before shrinking in size till the ball was no bigger than Chōji's belly.

"…match…" Genma finished slowly as he landed feet behind Gaara, staring up at the orb.

The same thought was going through hundreds of people in that instant; Kin's head was barely smaller than that ball originally.

Gaara laughed triumphantly as the orb dropped to the ground in front of him, revealing the bloody mess in the centre to the crowd as it crumbled and mixed with the grains.

Naruto and the genin witnessing the event could barely stand to watch. They knew what was coming, so did Kin yet she chose to try and avenge her fallen comrade.

The blonde boy growled at the scene as he slammed his fist into the metal bar, denting it. No one bothered to look, hell even Neji's full attention was focused on the brutal scene in front of him.

The laughing stopped instantly. Gaara's face returned to it's 'normal', emotionless composure as he stepped over the bloody sand as his gourd began reforming on his back as he walked.

What few people realised was that the sand underneath the blood covered and carried the kill back into the gourd where it would now rest with it's former team mate.

"Uh…Winner…G…Gaara of the S…Sand." Genma choked out as he felt his stomach begin begging to let it's contents out.

* * *

People around the stadium felt similar reactions as the Hokage rose to his feet.

"There will be a short interval at this time!" He called out in a booming voice.

Many people silently thanked him as they clutched their mouths and fled…elsewhere.

"Man…what brutality…" Chōza muttered to the queasy looking blonde and the gaping Nara beside him.

Shikaku just nodded while Inoichi looked ready to run himself.

Ino and Sakura however, were not as lucky. The pair had fled the moment Gaara's hands closed, both knowing the only outcome after that.

Even Anko was having trouble watching. She'd nudged Iruka as soon as the Hokage mentioned the interval and he shot off like a bullet.

"…This is what the real world of ninja's was and sometimes still is like Haku." Zabuza muttered as his student looked away. Her eyes were shut and her head was turned but she didn't feel the need to run or lose her lunch.

"…H-hai Zabuza-san." She muttered.

* * *

Naruto was just about ready to leap over the railing and attack the boy himself for his disregard for human life when something odd happened.

Gaara's balance faltered as his head tipped with his body following.

Red hair met green grass as Gaara crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide in confusion.

Surprise was evident in the crowd, or what remained of it.

Cautiously, a medical ninja shot from the side and approached the prone boy. Another soon followed with a stretcher held in front of him like a shield.

"What's going on?…" Gaara muttered looking around wildly.

"Er…" The medical ninja began nervously, "We think you've damaged your ear and it needs to be healed. May we help?" They asked to the amazement of several older ninja.

Gaara's eyes closed at the revelation before looking straight ahead.

"It can't be helped." he muttered before adding, "Make it quick."

"Yes sir!" The medical ninja said before lifting the boy onto the stretcher and hurried him away from the arena, both very careful with their cargo.

* * *

"That bastard!" Naruto swore, his eyes following Gaara as he was taken off the arena floor. Tenten had turned away, her hands over her mouth in shock and her eyes closed tightly. Lee tried to focus on comforting his team mate while Neji just focused on erasing his memory.

"H-how can he do that…" Tenten choked, "He…he killed her and just laughed…"

"Calm down Tenten."

Naruto turned and glanced at Neji who'd decided to speak.

"What you saw was a vicious attack on an enemy ninja from another. The real world is full of people like this, some even worse I'm sure. It was her fate to die today."

Tenten's eyes widened in fear as both Lee and Naruto glared at Neji.

"How can you say such a thing?" Lee argued.

"Yea, it could've been you down there fighting!"

"But it wasn't was it." Neji replied coldly. "Fate decided it was the end of her time. Gaara was merely a tool in her death albeit a vicious one."

"I'm warning you!" Naruto growled. Neji's white eyes met Naruto's blue.

"Or what? A dead last like you will do the same to me. I find the very concept an impossibility."

"I'll show you who's a dead last!" Naruto shouted, reaching for his blade.

"Naruto!" He froze as he turned to face Tenten's face, bright red from all the conflicting emotions. "Just leave it!…"

Realizing his actions, Naruto took a deep breath and lowered his arm, shooting Neji a darker glare as he comforted Tenten down into a seat.

"Come on! What's the hold up?" a cry came from above.

The gang all turned to face outside where the fans on the opposite side, most likely above too, were eagerly shouting for the next match to begin. The people shouting looked like either the gambling or feudal lord type.

* * *

"There's been no news of Sasuke yet," The jōnin whispered into the Hokage's ear. "and there's the issue of Orochimaru. Please before everyone starts to make trouble, disqualify Sasuke."

The Hokage sighed deeply as he looked out into the crowd.

Many were dripping back into their seats with looks of uneasiness on their faces while others were definitely wanting the next match.

While the last match was brutal, it didn't stop the fans wanting more.

* * *

"Urh, what's all the noise for?" A bored voice echoed up the stairs.

The genin under the stands turned to see a sleepy-eyed Shikamaru approach from the hall.

"Hey, good to see you up Shikamaru." Lee smiled, although it was noticeably less bright than before.

"It's Sasuke's match now." Naruto replied as the Nara walked up to the railing and looked out onto the field.

"Yosh! I get to test the number one genin from your year Naruto-kun!" Lee's enthusiasm returned.

Naruto quickly noted that the last matches events were trying to be forgotten as soon as possible and the more they thought in the now, the better. This was what ninja did and they all knew it. This career wasn't for the weak of will or conscience.

"Seems like it'll be your match first Naruto." Shikamaru sighed.

"Huh? Why?" he asked, looking in the direction that Shikamaru was.

The shinobi next to the Hokage had disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared next to Genma on the field, who was looking uneasy at the heckling.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked as he too stepped up to the guard rail.

* * *

"Listen everyone!" Genma called out. The crowd's volume died down almost immediately.

"One of the competitors from the next battle has not arrived yet. So, we're gonna postpone this match briefly and simply jump ahead to battle that would have followed this one."

Both Naruto and Lee flinched at this.

* * *

"Damn. Naurto, you're so lucky, you get to have you're battle ahead of mine!" Lee raged as he felt himself pumping up with his trademark eye-fire.

"Ah man, I don't get to see you beat that stuck up Uchiha for another round?" Naruto moaned back, "What's more, I have to work for it? What a drag."

Shikamaru's head turned as Naruto gave him a cheeky grin. Tenten and Lee both laughed at this as Naruto pushed back on the rail, walking towards the hall and down the stairs.

Genma's voice continued outside calling for both Naruto and Temari to enter the arena.

The genin turned back to face the field and the now eager crowd as Temari entered from the medical bay.

The sound of footsteps could be heard as the three males turned and saw the back of two brown buns following after the knuckleheaded blonde down the corridor.

The trio just looked at each other for sum explanation but all three shrugged.

* * *

'Damn that Gaara!' Naruto thought as his hands itched to run his sword through a certain someone. He tried to calm his mind, no point going into a fight already stressed.

"Hey… Naruto." A voice called behind him.

He turned quickly but was met only by a friend.

"Hey, what's up Tenten?" he asked with his goofy grin still on his face.

Tenten quickly walked down the last few steps till she was on the one above his and looked into his eyes.

"I urm… just win quickly and don't let her touch you." Tenten smiled, "You still have our match to fight you know."

Naruto chuckled.

"With all the training I've put in, it'll be easy." Naruto replied, showing a more genuine smile. "Besides, I can't wait for our match either."

Tenten smile widened as she wrapped her arms around the orange and black jumpsuit.

Naruto's eyes only spoke of confusion as he felt the kunoichi hold him close.

"Tenten, why are…" He began, turning his head towards her which lay on his shoulder.

She, however, turned at the same time and not missing a beat, crashed her lips against his.

Naruto's confusion spoke for itself for the few seconds this went on.

The brunette released the blonde with a smile and a wink, retreating up the stairs after whispering in his ear, "…for luck."

Stunned, the blonde could only make slightly exaggerated steps downward as Genma's calls repeated his name.

* * *

"Tenten, where did you go?" Lee asked curiously as his kunoichi team mate joined them back on the viewing platform.

Tenten blushed slightly but replied quickly.

"Nature called."

Lee just returned his gaze to the field as Naruto stepped out.

Tenten joined Lee and Shikamaru as they rested on the rail and got ready to cheer her "friend" on.

Only one of the trio didn't accept her answer; chakra fled from his eyes as the Byakugan faded and a scowl appeared.

* * *

"Heh, well, looks like we'll get to see if he made any progress since our last fight." Zabuza chuckled from the stands. Next to him, his apprentice was having similar thoughts.

"Yes, I'm sure Naruto-kun will prevail." Haku replied with a smile.

The ex-mist nin grinned behind his bandages as he gave Haku what could only be described as a suspicious look.

"What was that?"

Haku realised her mistake and repeated herself.

"I said I'm sure Naruto will prevail, Zabuza-san."

Zabuza just chuckled again as he replayed some of the hints in his mind. Specifically around the time the kid and the perverted sannin found them.

* * *

"Hey Iruka, you're top student's about to fight." The snake charmer called back through the crowd.

A rather pale Iruka quickly sidled his way back into his seat.

"It seems so Anko." He replied, 'Come on Naruto, show them what you're made of!'

'Let's see if this gaki's worth my interest and effort.' Anko thought as she smirked at the blonde boy's back.

* * *

"Alright you two…" Genma began, looking hesitantly at the sand kunoichi as he spoke, "…I want a clean fight, got it?"

Both Temari and Naruto nodded.

Their eyes locked onto each other as they prepared for battle.

Fans were still trickling into the stadium and both patiently waited for Genma's say.

"…Hey…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Thanks for defending my brother…" Temari muttered.

"…No problem." Naruto replied, "Though with all that make-up he could be your sister."

Temari's face graced a small smile at the foreign ninja.

"Seems so huh. You'd think as the oldest they'd listen to me."

"Oldest?"

"Yea…" Temari bowed her head slightly. "Both Gaara and Kankurō are my younger brothers."

"Oh…" was all Naruto could reply.

"Oi, enough chat, you ready?" Genma asked as the stands returned to their reasonably full state.

Snapping out of the polite conversation, the two readied themselves.

"Begin!

* * *

"I'll finish you fast!" Temari shouted as her metal fan snapped open, revealing three full purple moons. Grabbing the base tightly, she hurled the fan from her right side to the other.

Naruto jumped back.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out before his feet brushed the earth again. In the blink of an eye, a hundred clones surrounded the original.

The wind raged fiercely as Temari's fan reached the end of it's swing, hurtling towards the orange mass.

The Narutos jumped together, huddling against the wind with their back turned.

Several rips and tears could be heard as the wind raked across the clones, jackets and skin cutting and tearing as white smoke blew away almost instantly when a clone "poofed".

The carnage lasted less than thirty seconds and had ripped the clones from the centre, leaving only a handful still kicking but breathing hard.

"My turn!" They yelled in unison as the four remaining Naruto charged at the wind user.

Their speed was incredible as Temari barely had time to raise her fan in defence before they were upon her.

Wielding her fan like a sword, Temari focused on one side of the fan and aimed the metal part at the Narutos.

A nimble step back as the first Naruto's punch missed and the fan conked him in the left temple. The slight wind let out by the swing hit the one behind it, making a good sized hole in his top and torso before he went up in smoke too.

"Now I got ya!" Twin cries came as two Naruto charged her left and right side. The left ducked under her fan as it ended it's swing and aimed an uppercut towards Temari.

Reacting on instinct, Temari jumped up, away from the twin uppercuts. Her fan opened and settled underneath her as she landed on it and flew backwards.

The Naruto on the floor just smirked as the right grabbed the other's hands and ducked in front of him, his hands holding the other pulled behind his back.

"Konoha Missile!" He shouted before yanking his arms forward as hard as he could.

Like a cannon, the other Naruto shot toward her with his fist pulled back.

His aim wasn't the girl but the fan itself as his fist slammed into the metal base of the weapon, leaving a deep dent and sending it, along with the girl riding, spiralling to the ground.

A large cloud of dust covered the damage when she landed.

The flying Naruto disappeared as he neared the stadium wall while his partner approached the dust cautiously.

No less than twenty feet from the wreckage and a horizontal wind cut through the air, separating the dust.

It's speed was faster than Naruto's as it approached and passed straight through his gut, where his jacket met his pants.

Through the dust, Temari waved her fan again and the dust scattered, revealing her with only a few scratches on her outfit as damage.

The crowd gasped as Naruto's left hand, which was down by his waist at the time, dropped toward the floor before going up in smoke with the rest of him.

Temari gasped as the final clone disappeared, frantically searching her surroundings for any sign of orange.

She held the open fan up at her side with one arm as a make-shift shield as she scanned.

A deadly silver blade slipped under her chin.

Her eyes widened in fear as she stopped moving.

"I believe that's my win." A familiar voice spoke from behind her.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the smirk from Naruto Uzumaki as he held his blade to her throat.

"Not so fast." Temari pulled her fan closer to her body as the sword pierced the middle of the dense paper.

In one swift movement she tucked her hand behind the metal part, pushed and twisted as the fan and sword flew forward and out of either's grasp.

In a heartbeat, she twisted her body and delivered a back kick into Naruto's stomach.

The blonde had reacted fast and his hand met her foot but at the odd angle, it still ploughed into him and pushed him back.

Temari took the opportunity to jump back, reach down and reclaim her weapon while simultaneously kicking Naruto's far behind her.

'Damn, I can't use any wide attacks anymore.' She thought as she glimpsed the rip the sword had caused almost cutting the paper in two down the middle.

Naruto watched as his sword skidded away.

'Great(!) Now I have to get up close and personal again.' he thought sarcastically. It was his specialty after all.

Temari held her fan horizontally as Naruto flashed back to his last clone.

He jumped back into the trees behind him, taking cover as Temari unleashed another deadly slice of air.

It met the trees with little resistance as it passed through, slicing them in two yet remaining upright.

All was silent for a few seconds before another powerful wave of wind hit the trees.

This didn't slice them, it tipped them.

Naruto gasped as the trees began falling backwards, mimicking a domino effect as they tumbled towards him.

"Damnit!" he muttered as he jumped back, bouncing off the yet unfallen trees, his landing and subsequent jump pushing them in different directions before the other trees hit them, hoping to at least slow down the dominos.

A particularly large tree began falling and he glimpsed it out of the corner of his eye moments before it would crush him.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He called out as several clones surrounded him.

The tree hit home, making a large amount of smoke rise from beneath as it crashed onto the floor.

The rest of the trees tumbled around, some landing on top of each other. To make the crowd wince even more, three more trees landed on the first fallen making it dig into the ground just a little more.

The dust around the small grove began settling as Temari panted, admiring her handiwork and snapping her fan shut.

Several people looked down, waiting for the next move if there was one.

Temari straightened herself and looked at the trees with a little sadness in her eyes. At least that was one less shinobi she'd have to fight later.

In a flash of bright red light, 10 bright lines crisscrossed from underneath the fallen trees. Reducing all above it to chunks as a figure emerged from the debris. He jumped and landed on the fallen tree just below his last cut as the red glow on his hands faded to his normal pink colour.

"Don't underestimate me!" Naruto called out, pointing not just at his opponent but at the crowd as well.

From the crushing he endured, his suit had taken a few rips and tears along with a small gash across his right cheek, overlaying his top whisker.

Temari gritted her teeth as she flicked her fan.

Nothing happened as she looked down and flicked it again.

"That's not gonna work." Naruto called from the wreckage.

Temari looked down again and noticed the large dent he'd made earlier.

Using the distraction, Naruto jumped from log to log as he sped towards the pony tailed blonde.

He wasn't exactly silent and the air user readied her fan again when she noticed him, the metal part would still hurt like hell after all.

Naruto's hands flashed through a few hand signs and his right hand glowed red again.

The space between the two closed as Naruto brought his glowing hand down and Temari swung her fan at the boy like a baseball bat.

The fan slammed into Naruto's hand as the red glow around it sliced through it like butter.

Temari's eyes widened in shock as her weapon was reduced to diagonal ribbons. The glow faded again as his hand grabbed her arm. Lifting himself off the ground and holding Temari's arm at…arm's length from her, he brought his feet up and delivered a powerful kick into her chest, releasing her arm at the same time. The sound of the blow could be heard throughout the stadium as Temari shot back through the air before rolling and stopping in Naruto's original position near the centre.

Landing on his free hand, Naruto twisted his body and righted himself gracefully and charged once again at the sand ninja.

Temari breathed in sharply and deeply as her breath tried to return to her. The other blonde was closing fast and now she had no weapon. A small glint caught her eye as she spied Naruto's sword she'd kicked away earlier.

Quickly grasping it tightly, she rose to her feet and prepared for another attack.

As Naruto neared, two fist sized metal rings poked up from the ground, one either side of Temari.

Naruto's eyes widened with the new knowledge he'd gained and his smile grew.

Reaching behind him, he grabbed two kunai and hurled them towards the rings.

Temari looked confused as to his aiming but gained realization as the kunai hit their marks, threading through the rings.

Naruto continued to charge toward her his hands now tightened.

"Now I got ya!" He shouted.

He forced a good chunk of his chakra into his heels and jumped. He jumped straight over his opponent much to her confusion and yanked hard.

Temari just looked up as the metal rings were pulled out of the ground.

Dirt fell away as the rings revealed themselves to be kunai and threads tightened the more they rose.

Temari's footing shifted as the ground underneath her rose. The kunai were now rising above her head as her footing was pulled forward suddenly.

She fell backwards in a reclined state as the wires behind her caught her.

As Naruto travelled back towards the ground, he twisted in the air and crossed his arms in front of him.

The gleam off the wires shined in Temari's eyes as the two kunai snapped together in front of her, shielding her from the world with thick metal wires.

"Sand ninja captured!" Naruto laughed triumphantly as he landed.

Temari hit the ground with a thump, her legs pulled up to her chest in the wiry net, the sword she would have used landed beside her, point first in the ground.

Naruto walked up to Temari who was trying to separate the two rings to gain her freedom.

He grabbed his swords hilt and pointed his towards her head.

"You lose."

Genma jumped over to the two genin before looking up into the crowd.

"Winner, Naruto Uzumaki!"

* * *

The crowd let out a huge cheer as a panting Naruto was declared the winner.

He looked up in to the stands and laughed with a grin on his face.

"Damnit, I lost…" Temari muttered, scolding herself.

Naruto's ears twitched as he looked down at his captured prey.

Holding his sword just over her he carefully and precisely sliced through the ninja wire holding her down.

"Good match." He laughed, holding his hand down for her to take.

She looked up at him, deep into his eyes.

This guy was a curious one.

* * *

The stadium continued cheering as the jinchūriki helped the sand ninja to her feet. The blonde couldn't help it and let out a whoop and cheer of his own, soaking up the praise from the crowd.

"Looks like he pulled it off." Anko smirked beside Iruka.

The chūnin teacher could only laugh in response, his hands clapping loudly for his "worst" student.

"You showed 'em Naruto!" He called out. A few spectators looked at him oddly but didn't figure out Iruka meant the people who doubted him.

* * *

'I knew you could do it…Naruto-kun…' Hinata said in her mind, her mouth not obeying her brain but the object of her eye wouldn't hear her anyway.

"All right Naruto!" Kiba called out beside her, Akamaru yipping happily away on his head.

* * *

"Well, I think that sets things in stone." Zabuza muttered to himself.

"What do you mean Zabuza-san?" Haku asked, catching his low voice.

"That brat's gonna be my first student."

* * *

"Well, well, it seems Naruto has surprised us again." The third chuckled in his seat as he looked down into the arena.

"Again? Is he normally this surprising?" The Kazekage asked.

"You never know what's coming with Naruto. I think he's surprised everyone in this arena today. His goal definitely seems closer with this performance."

The kazekage's eyes gazed down into the arena.

"Most interesting…"

* * *

"Alright! Go Naruto!" Sakura cheered.

Beside her, Ino couldn't believe her eyes. Naruto took out one of the sand ninja like Shikamaru would.

"When did Naruto get so…" Ino began.

"Bet you're jealous now Ino-pig, I have Naruto AND Sasuke for back up. My team couldn't get more awesome!"

Ino would've shouted back, beginning another argument but another thought nudged its way into her head.

"Yet why are they in the finals and you aren't?"

Sakura flinched before thinking about Ino's words.

"…Same reason you are Ino…"

The two kunoichi we're both put out now.

* * *

Ino's father however was roaring with laughter.

"I told ya, that kid always surprises us!"

Chōza was in disbelief as Shikaku merely chuckled quietly and patted his friend on the back.

"Seems so. Now that you're a rich man, what's first?"

Inoichi looked up at the sky thoughtfully, mimicking his team mate's son.

"I dunno, I guess the wife has still been riding me for that vacation she's wanted and God knows Ino will probably want something out of this. But first…" Inoichi looked down into the arena at the victorious genin retreating up the stairs while the sand picked up the totalled pieces of her fan and head into the medical bay, "…I think he's earned a little, don't you?"

Shikaku and Chōza both nodded firmly before Chōza added,

"Does this mean you're paying for the next barbeque visit?" His mouth drooling already.

* * *

"Naruto!"

The blonde looked up as a pink shirted blur slammed into him before crushing him in a death hug.

"Gah! Tenten what the?" Naruto began as the air left his lungs.

"That was a most courageous battle Naruto!" Lee shouted, giving Naruto twin thumbs up. "Now I am all fired up for my battle!" he continued, bending his knees and punching the air in front of him.

Tenten released the boy as he rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"That looked like more trouble than it was worth." Shikamaru's bored voice called out.

"What about your battle with Chōji? You looked like you actually tried there."

Shikamaru didn't bother to retort, both knowing the answer.

Naruto felt a glare and came face to face with Neji.

"Is that something a dead last could do?" He shouted.

Neji's eyes turned back to the field without a word.

Despite Naruto's anger at the branch house member, he felt a little pride at making the Hyūga speechless.

"Naruto, calm down." Tenten scolded, crossing her arms and sighing at the excitable boy.

"Sorry Tenten," he smiled, "All this action's just got me pumped up, you know."

"Yosh and it is my match next!" Lee shouted, "I cannot wait!"

"You'd be better off trying to calm Lee down" Naruto chuckled at Tenten.

She just sighed again and shook her head.

"Believe me I tried, there's no stopping him."

The three laughed while Shikamaru grinned from the rail.

"Actually Lee, shouldn't you have been called by now?" Naruto asked, confused.

The trio moved over to the rail and looked out, spotting a jōnin whispering something into Genma's ear.

"What's going on?" Tenten wondered out loud.

"It seems the Uchiha is still not here." Neji stated.

The group turned to look at him as his Byakugan faded.

"No way! You mean I don't get to fight this round?"

Tenten conked Lee on the top of the head, shutting him up. The green beast knew when this happened, he had to calm down or face her wrath.

"Just be patient Lee, you'll get to fight." Tenten reassured.

The green beast just flopped over the edge of the rail.

"This is most un-youthful." he muttered.

* * *

The crowd was getting restless the more time passed. It seems the next match was still delayed and to Lee it felt like forever.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Start the next match already!" and similar shouts could be heard in the stadium.

Sasuke was still a no-show and with the crowd turning, it seemed he wouldn't be competing.

Genma took out his pocket watch and checked the time.

"All right, the time limit has expired! So I'm officially calling this match…"

Leaves began swirling on the stadium floor. A huge gust of wind picked them up in a mini tornado as the crowd fell silent.

As quickly as it came, the wind vanished revealing a silver haired jōnin and a black haired genin back to back in the centre.

"Sorry we're late, you wouldn't believe the traffic." Kakashi eye-smiled as he addressed Genma.

"Heh, well look who decided to show up." Genma replied.

"Sorry if we kept you waiting but erm…how late are we? I mean it's not like Sasuke is disqualified or anything is he?"

Genma sighed with a smirk.

"You know you were so late, that we extend the deadline for you, twice in fact. It's lucky for you we did because you just made it. No, he's not disqualified."

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew, you had me worried there for a second."

* * *

Back up in the genin waiting area something unusual was happening.

"Neji?" Tenten asked worriedly.

The white eyed Hyūga had assumed a vicious glare at the Uchiha and his hand had stuck the wall he was leaning on.

"Why…why do they make special exceptions!"

Lee and Tenten relaxed slightly, knowing what was up.

Neji turned sharply to look Lee in the eye.

"Fate always favours someone. Make sure Sasuke knows it isn't him!"

Lee snapped to attention.

"Hai, I will make sure hard work prevails. Then I will show you the same Neji!" Without another word, Lee jumped over the edge and into the arena below.

* * *

"My my, aren't we eager." the proctor chuckled as Lee practically sprinted up to his starting position.

Lee just focused his gaze on his opponent.

"Hmph, you think you're some kind of tough guy?" Sasuke provoked.

Kakashi leant down next to Sasuke and whispered into his ear.

"Don't underestimate him."

Sasuke nodded as Kakashi jumped up into the stands.

* * *

"Kakashi, my eternal rival, you finally made it." Guy shouted loudly, sitting next to…Kakashi?

"Hello Guy. Did we miss much?" Kakashi asked, dispelling the genjutsu over the now empty seat.

"All of it! You missed some most youthful fights from Shikamaru, Chōji, me own student Neji and Naruto who surprised us all."

"Oh? Really?" Kakashi said in a bored sounding voice.

"Your flames of youth are dim Kakashi! Can you not even get hyped up about your own student winning?"

"Well, Lord Jiraiya seems to have taken Naruto over for me, he was a bit of a handful anyway."

Guy reeled back.

"I never would've imagined those words coming out of **your** mouth Kakashi!"

"Shouldn't we be focusing on those two right now?" Kakashi changed the subject, pointing down into the arena at there respective students.

"You just wait Kakashi, our next match between us will be determined by our students! Lee will triumph over Sasuke with the all the hard work he's put in and I will take the lead in our battle fifty four to fifty three!"

Kakashi just sighed, already knowing the outcome, he didn't feel the need to watch his student succeed.

* * *

The audience was now fired up as the two took their positions, Sasuke glaring at Lee.

The lords and betters among the crowd were cheering louder than any other match. This was the match with the biggest wad on the line after all.

"Ready to Lose?" Sasuke smirked.

Lee merely shrugged his comment off and settled into his "Strong Fist" stance.

"I will show you that my efforts have not been in vain!" He replied.

"Alright enough chat you two. Ready?" Genma began, glancing up at the now quieter audience, eager for the match to start. "Begin!"

* * *

In a flash, Genma had jumped clear and the two had jumped at each other.

Sasuke charged at Lee, his fists raised for combat. Lee's eyes followed Sasuke's body movement and he lent back, Sasuke's fist trying to follow his face. He looked off balance to the untrained eye but to the few who knew the style watched as the swapped his feet for his hands, his right foot rising to punt Sasuke's arm away as the left rose to meet his chin.

Sasuke felt a large surge of pain in his arm as Lee's right foot met and with the momentum of his arm, his body and subsequent head missed the rising kick as he brought his right knee up.

Sasuke's knee passed under Lee's as the momentum carried him back away from the green beast. He flipped several times as he backed off.

Lee pushed his arms and flipped onto his feet in perfect stance again as he watched Sasuke feel his left bicep in pain.

"Now do you understand what you are up against?" Lee called out as Sasuke glared back.

Sasuke gritted his teeth at the comment.

'Remember your training' Kakashi's voice echoed through his head.

Sasuke took a deep breath through his teeth and thought about his next move.

Lee, however, wouldn't allow him that luxury.

"Here I come!" He announced as he charged again, his arms hanging behind him as he drew closer.

A blur of hands and a single sentence.

"Fire Sytle: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted, forming and "O" shape in front of his mouth with his right hand.

Lee jumped right as a small, blazing ball of fire shot straight at him.

Several more followed quickly as Sasuke kept up with him.

Lee wasn't one to give up, Sasuke couldn't hold the jutsu forever and he made a dash through the barrage.

Putting a large chunk of chakra into one last shot as Lee drew close, Sasuke fired out one the size of a small boulder.

Lee's eyes widened as he couldn't dodge in time. Raising his arms up, he formed a cross over his head, protecting his head and face. On the first licks of fire he felt on his arms, he released them out, like two diagonal slashes.

The flames dispersed as Lee came face to face with Sasuke's spinning red eyes.

This time Sasuke threw a punch and it landed.

Lee felt pain in his jaw as Sasuke landed an uppercut, launching him up in the air.

"I'm not done yet!" Sasuke yelled as he jumped up after Lee. He span around in the air before he was directly over Lee. The momentum fuelled kicked slammed into Lee's side sending him flying back at the ground. Sasuke smirked as he prepared to land, wanting to watch as Lee touched down hard.

It never happened as Lee righted himself mid air, sprang off the earth into a series of back flips before landing in his stance yet again.

"Hmph, if that is all you have, this will be no problem."

Sasuke landed as Lee charged again.

He readied a strike for the oncoming beast.

'Not good enough!' Lee thought.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he lost sight of the beast.

A flash of dark green and Lee was gone.

"What the…"

Slam!

Sasuke was sent sprawling as Lee's foot slammed into the side of his head.

Several shouts and winces of pain could be seen around the stadium.

Lee relaxed into a stand as Sasuke pushed himself off the floor fiercely.

"Even your eyes cannot help against me." Lee stated.

The four tomoe swirled angrily in Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke gasped and clutched his shoulder in pain.

"What is…?" Lee began.

Sasuke' pain left a soon as it arrived, the curse seal was itching to break free of Kakashi's sealing jutsu.

'No…I won't give in!…'

Lee was approaching again, using the opportunity to attack.

Flipping back, Sasuke leaped into the fallen trees behind him from the last match, ducking through the fallen branches to regroup.

"It is useless to hide. You will have to come out and face me sooner or later." Lee said.

Sasuke panted as he checked his mark.

No activity.

Planning his next move, he took a second to recuperate before jumping out onto the top of the trees, where everyone could see him.

"Ah ha, there you are!" Lee called out picking up speed once again.

Sasuke flicked his arms and two shuriken appeared, he crossed the over his body before flinging them toward Lee.

Lee smiled confidently as he leaped over the two small shuriken.

He spotted two puffs of smoke as he flipped over weapons.

Landing and turning back, he saw two, now huge, windmill shuriken coming back at him.

Lee leapt over the shuriken once again.

Sasuke's fingers twitched as the shuriken followed him skyward.

Lee turns and kick one away but barely dodges the second, it brushing mere centimetres away from his face.

Another flick of Sasuke's fingers and the wire controlled shuriken turned again. This time, it follows the curve around Lees back. The wire catches on Lee's waist as the shuriken wraps his arms to his body before running out of spin and momentum.

Lee and the shuriken fell to the floor with a thud and a clang.

* * *

"It seems the match is over already…What a pity." Kakashi said in a bored voice from the stands.

Guy, however, just laughed loudly.

"You think it's over Kakashi? This match is far from done."

"Not if Sasuke pulls out that new jutsu I taught him."

"What jutsu was it?" Guy asked curiously.

Sasuke answered that question for him.

* * *

"Now it's over!" Sasuke said darkly, leaping to the front of the ruined pile of trees.

Lee looked up to see Sasuke's hands move through signs before he grabbed his right wrist and placed it parallel to the ground.

"Chidori! One Thousand Birds!" Sasuke shouted as blue chakra cried and echoed in the stadium from the palm of his right hand in the sound of birds chirping.

Sasuke looked from his hand to his opponent. Lee had enough movement to bend his legs and use the momentum to flip onto his feet though his arms were still restricted.

While doing this, Lee had his eyes closed in concentration.

Sasuke felt the chakra in his hands built to it's peak.

"Rahhhr!" He charged at the surprisingly calm Lee. The ground being torn up under his hand as he ran.

50ft, 30ft, 15ft…5ft.

Sasuke brought his glowing hand up in front of him, aimed directly at Lee's chest.

Gasps could be heard throughout the stadium as the distance closed.

Two feet left and Sasuke's eyes widened a he smirked, victory was his.

Lee's face turned a dark red and flashed out of sight.

Sasuke's hand passed straight through the afterimage.

"What?"

Several twangs were heard as the wires snapped.

Sasuke's Chidori died out as he turned sharply to see an very red faced Lee where he started, his arms ripping apart the steel wires that held them to his sides.

"The Third Gate - Gate of Life: Open!" he called out.

The crowd was stunned as they could all see the chakra flow around Lee's body and his once pink skin now a deep red.

In a flash, Lee was gone.

Sasuke's eyes caught movement but it was too late.

Lee's foot stuck up and caught him on the chin, sending him up into the air.

Without missing a beat, Lee shot up after him.

He delivered a series of punches and kicks onto Sasuke only sending the two up higher.

"This is the end!" Lee shouted as he bounced off the air toward Sasuke's beaten form.

He arrived in a split second, directly facing the proud Uchiha before kicking off the air once more. The kick span him round in a green and red blur just a foot in front of Sasuke.

The Uchiha brought his beaten arms up to block as Lee's foot stuck out of the whirlwind.

"Leaf Hot Wind!" Lee shouted as his foot stuck Sasuke in the side, sending him sliding across the air, through the stadium to crash into the bottom of the wall where it met the ground behind some trees.

Lee reached the ground panting heavily, gripping his arms.

The dust that had been stirred from Sasuke's crash blocked everyone from seeing the fallen.

Genma was now leaping over to the edge of the dusty area as it began to settle to check on the boy.

Lee took some deep breaths while the crowd stirred.

Black flames spread across skin.

"I…wont lose…" Sasuke's voice rose through the dust.

Through the settling cloud, Genma spotted the figure he assumed was Sasuke stand back up before leaping out toward the centre.

Lee looked up as Sasuke leapt from the tree branches high into the air, his fists raised.

Reacting quickly, the green beat jumped back as Sasuke's blow landed not a second later.

The blow raised more dust if only a small amount compared to the last attack. It quickly cleared to reveal a good chunk of earth taken out where Sasuke's fists stuck.

* * *

"ANBU." The third called.

A ninja quickly appeared kneeling beside the Hokage. The Kazekage's guards jumped on edge just in case.

"Get in there an stop the match between…" The Hokage began.

"Excuse me Lord Hokage." A soft voice cut in.

The third looked over at the Kazekage who was wearing a most displeased look, at least from what he could tell from the eyes.

"Many of us have travelled far just to see this match although the others were most exciting. I would hate to see something like this stop the match."

Something clicked in the third's mind as the Kazekage spoke.

"After all, it's not like two Kage can't stop a simple fight between two genin, am I right?"

The third closed his eyes in frustration.

"If this match isn't over in five minutes I will call an end to it." he resigned.

"That is all I ask." The Kazekage replied coolly.

* * *

Back in the arena, Sasuke watched as Lee flashed in and out of sight, circling him.

Lee was trying to end the match fast, he couldn't hold the technique much longer.

'You can do this…Watch him…' Sasuke's eyes narrowed. 'Watch him…Watch him!'

His eyes widened, Lee was slowing down!

Unbeknownst to him, his left eye changed as a third tomoe formed itself in his sharingan.

"There!" he muttered and charged at an after image.

The image flashed out of existence before he arrived but became solid as Lee's body returned to that space.

Sasuke grabbed hold of Lee's right shoulder with his hand and brought his left foot up to kick.

Lee's left hand grabbed Sasuke's foot from the top only to see Sasuke's right slam into his side.

The blow could be heard around the stadium and many people winced.

"Is that all?" Lee shouted in Sasuke's face, though pain was evident.

Lee's right arm twisted Sasukes' on his shoulder as the Uchiha kicked off against Lee's hand, separating the two.

As soon as Lee's foot touched the ground he rebounded, charging at the unstable Sasuke.

"Leaf Hurricane!"

Lee bent down as his thunderous right leg swung around at Sasuke.

Sasuke lent back as Lee's attack passed over him.

He rose to launch a counter attack only to watch as Lee swung round, his leg aimed lower this time.

Sasuke felt the full blow as Lee's foot slammed into his ribs.

Hearing a sickening crack, the boy flew through the air only to crash back against the piles of stumps and logs.

Several small thuds landed all around his body as he looked up, watching as Lee threw the last of the shuriken from his hands.

"It is done." He said calmly as the third gate closed inside his body.

Sasuke smirked before bursting into smoke, leaving only a dented log behind

"What?"

Chirping could be heard behind him.

"Chidori!" Sasuke cried out as he thrust his arm forward once again, this time aiming for Lee's head as he descended on the taijutsu user.

"Heh, you still have not learned."

Lee's body disappeared again as Sasuke was left with no target.

Behind him, Lee's arms extended to Sasuke's and pulled them back, his left feeling the pain from the lightning jutsu.

"Final blow! Hidden Lotus!" Lee cried out as he crossed Sasuke's arms in front of his chest and rotated in the air.

A small kick from Lee corrected the flight course as the two were sent hurtling toward the ground.

Boom!

A large cloud of smoke erupted on impact.

The crowd was holding their breath to see who would emerge victorious.

Genma was trying to peer through the smoke as best he could.

'Did I…do it…Guy-sensei?…'

'…did I…make you proud?…'

* * *

An impatient Naruto called out Lee's name from the stands, surprising both his own team mate and Lee's.

The dust began to settle as every crowd member tried to pierce through it to find out the winner.

Inside the smoke, one of the two dark figures pushed themselves up onto all fours, taking short shallow breaths.

He stood, both arms hanging limply from their sockets as they turned to the fallen party.

A sudden gust of wind blew across the arena, forcing the dust to lie else where as it revealed a batted and broken Lee standing over an unconscious Uchiha.

"That…is t…truly the…power of…hard…work." Lee panted heavily as his eye lids dulled.

The crowd was silent as the boy spoke before erupting into cheers.

The cries of joy were mainly from the bookies and "long shot" betters but several groups of leaf nin let loose the cheers for the courageous genin.

"Sasuke!" Came the distressed cries from both Sakura and Ino at their fallen idol. They were the only few in their section not cheering for the victory of Konoha's young green beast.

None cheering louder than one Might Guy.

"Oh Lee!" He cried out as tears flooded down his face. "Your power of youth can conquer all adversaries!"

Kakashi, who had even raised his headband to watch the fight, merely stared in disbelief.

"Woo! Go Lee!" Tenten cheered from the genin stands.

Naruto was shouted similar cheers from beside her as one bored genin actually changed his look.

Shikamaru merely smiled at the scene and chuckled lightly.

"Well well, today is full of surprises."

The three had neglected to check on the one who had specifically asked Lee for this very outcome.

A white eyed Hyūga smiled inwardly at the scene before him.

'It seems fate was on your side Lee…Well done.'

* * *

Lee looked up into the stands and smiled weakly.

'Guy-sensei…I did it…'

Lee's body gave out.

The last two gates snapped shut as Lee fell backward onto the floor with a thud.

"Lee!" Guy called out as he leapt down into the arena, followed by Kakashi.

A small group of medical ninja arrived at the two boys and began checking them over quickly.

"Is Lee ok?" Guy asked as he landed next to his pupil who was breathing heavily.

"His muscles are beyond fatigued. He suffered some damage to his side with some cuts and bruises. When he wakes up, it won't be pretty."

"He'll wake up? Yes Lee! Hang in there!" Guy shouted with joy as he knelt over his student.

Kakashi was examining Sasuke' injuries with the medical ninja.

'When he gets up, his pride won't be the only thing that's damaged.'

Sasuke had suffered at least two cracked ribs, multiple cut, bruises and chakra exhaustion. Lee had basically tenderised his body.

Genma was o caught up in the excitement of the match he almost forgot his duty.

"Uh…Winner, Rock Lee!" Although the crowd knew this already.

* * *

Up in the Hokage stands, things were heating up.

"How could the Uchiha lose?" The Kazekage fumed, slamming his fist down on the arm of his chair.

The third merely smirked at the display.

"It just goes to show, bloodlines and jutsu aren't everything." he chuckled lightly, his eyes and demeanour remaining completely serious as he stared at the Kazekage.

* * *

"Alright, after we get these two off the field." Genma announced as the pair were carried off in stretches. "We'll begin the next match; Neji Hyūga vs. Shikamaru Nara!" Genma called out.

Shikamaru flinched. "Ah man, more work?" he complained as he looked over at the white eyed Hyūga.

"This should be interesting…" Neji muttered as he turned toward the stairs.

"Come on Shikamaru, you can beat him!" Naruto cheered into his ear.

"Gah, knock it off Naruto, the fight hasn't even started yet." Shikamaru muttered back, making his way to the stairs.

Naruto followed suit, giving the pineapple head advice for the next match.

Tenten smiled as she watched the two leave before realizing she was on her own and calling out for them to wait for her.

* * *

Slowly, white feathers descended over the stadium.

The middle stand's crowd began hunching over or flopping to the side.

"Huh?…Genjutsu?" Zabuza thought in confusion.

"Release!" Haku voice called from next to him, freeing both of them from it's effects.

Across the stadium, several other ninja got the same idea, including Hinata, Sakura, Anko and Iruka. Most of the ninja already released from this sleeping spell however, were the foreign sand and sound nin…

* * *

The Hokage watched a hundreds of citizens drifted off suddenly.

He turned slowly to look the Kazekage in the eye.

'So…I was right…'

"Shall we begin?" The Kazekage laughed.

His two body guards jumped forward, one flicking the top of a black tube.

A small explosion of smoke engulfed the Kage viewing platform.

* * *

Back in the stands, only one thing was on a certain sand trio's sensei's mind.

'The operation has begun!'

* * *

A/N: Right, first of I know this story has been eager for an update and I'm sorry. I had my EPQ project to finish suddenly and I spent over 26 hours solid working on it (on 17th-18th). Probs should of done more earlier but o well. Due in date was 18th so I had to focus on that for a while and now I'm back. Half term is here and is good to be freeeee.

If anyone caught Lee's move and know where it's from, props to ya :P

Yes I took it from Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (and if your reading this line then read the previous to figure this out, no props,) that game is awesome. Nearly got the platinum trophy hehe and me is ANBU black Ops online hehe :D

Anyway, ive been working on this chapter on and off so there may be errors or bits of the chapter missing that I've forgotten to put in or over looked. After checking once through, I don't think I missed anything but who knows.

Thanks to everyone who still reads this and reviews are much appreciated.

Keep Reading!


	15. Chapter 15

**The New Naruto**

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

**Chapter 15 - Konoha Invasion!**

The final match of the first round had concluded and brought with it the beginning of a much larger one…

The soft white feathers hovered around the stadium, disappearing as soon as they reached the floor only to be replaced in the air again.

From the centre stand, a small smoky explosion went off around the two Kage.

* * *

In the state of confusion, only the fastest and most experienced reacted fast enough to grasp any kind of intelligence from the situation right away.

"Lord Hokage!" Several shouts echoed across the stadium, followed by dark blurs reaching the edge of the roof and smokescreen.

"Squad one above. Squad two below, protect the nobles!" the lead ANBU shouted, his mask vaguely resembling a monkey-cat.

Of the eight on the roof top, four jumped off the edge to the stand below.

* * *

"So, you've finally revealed yourself. Eh? Orochimaru…" The third Hokage said in a semi-angry tone.

In a flash, the Kazekage was behind the Hokage, a kunai held against his throat.

"My my, aren't we perceptive today…" the Kazekage whispered in a different voice, one that could make your toes curl in fear, "…sensei."

* * *

Bursting from the smoke, the Kazekage's guards flew directly at the Konoha ANBU, kunai at the ready.

"You will not interfere!" The head shouted, whipping twin kunai out himself and slashing the assailants in half, their bodies clattering to the floor a moment later.

In a flash, Orochikage leapt onto the roof with the Hokage, his kunai still at the ready.

For shadowy figures burst from each half of two broken bodies, each landing past the ANBU in a rectangular formation around the captured Hokage.

"Finally, it's my time." One said.

He dressed in a light grey tank top, an all white "Yin-Yang" symbol adorned on the bottom, thick, purple rope tied around his waist, and strangely six arms, each with a black armband. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail with his sound headband in its proper place.

"We've all been waiting for this, I was so frustrated hiding in that disguise." Another replied.

His shoulder length grey hair hid all but his eye, a string of red beads hung around his neck. Next to the clasp of the beads, was another neck extending out the back of his head, its grey hair covering it completely. He also wore a purple rope for a belt, only this had a green scroll fastened behind him. His brown shirt also coming down to thigh level, also bearing the white "Yin-Yang" symbol.

"You're all sweaty too. So gross." the third said. Her jagged red hair a mess underneath the black bandaged helmet she wore. She also bore a light grey shirt with white "Yin-Yang" symbol.

"Come on we're all friends here right." the last one finished.

This seemingly overweight sound ninja sported an orange Mohawk atop his head and around his ears, complete with purple rope belt and light grey shirt, also with the white "Yin-Yang" symbol.

The Hokage quickly analysed each of them.

'Sound Ninja!'

"Let's go!" the head ANBU commended as he and team took off.

"Do it!" the blue bearing Sannin ordered.

The four Ninja settled into a pose, the hands together.

" Ninja Art: Four Flames Formation" they cried out together.

A purple light blinded the ANBU for a second.

The lead ANBU opened his eyes only to slam into the big, purple rectangle that the four ninja had created.

He bounced off back onto the tiles and rolled towards the edge all the while he was on fire.

The two remaining and captain stopped just short as their comrade rolled off the roof.

"Urgh, a barrier! We'll have to figure out a way round this without dying!" The captain thought out loud. "but how?"

* * *

Back in the stands, Chōza, Shikaku, and Inoichi were on their feet and rushing towards the centre stand.

Five black figures leapt out of their clothes from their seats and stood in their path.

"What is this?" Chōza shouted,

"Sound ninja, keep going!" Shikaku shouted.

"You got it!" Chōza replied taking the lead before thrusting his fists forward. Mid-punch his fists expanded, taking up the entire pathway, hitting three of the Ninja head-on.

The other two leapt over, kunai at the ready.

Both Shikaku and Inoichi used their friend's fists as a boost.

Shikaku blocked and slammed his own fist into the Ninja's face, sending him slamming into the wall.

Inoichi used his left arm to grab the other's wrist, holding firm as his palm found the enemy's forehead.

The three regrouped as Inoichi let go, his opponent dropping to the floor.

"Well, what's going on?" Chōza asked.

"It's an invasion, the Sand and Sound have betrayed us!" Inoichi stated using the quick jolt of information gathered from the sound's head.

"My my, have we been found out already?" soft voice said behind them.

The three turned to see a pair of glasses and chakra covered hands coming towards them.

* * *

"Wha-What's happening?" Tenten asked as the ground shook.

Shikamaru was watching as his dad's old team took out some mysterious figures.

"If my guess is correct, the Leaf village is under attack!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed,

"Not on my watch!" he shouted before jumping out of the box and up to the crowd.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru called out, "Damn it! Neji, Tenten, with me!"

The three remaining Genin jumped out of the box, following the blonde.

* * *

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Figures turned as a small mass of black and orange rose up from the wall.

The Naruto's red eyes worked fast, each checking for headband loyalty before bearing down on those unlucky enough to be wearing the wrong sort.

The tide quickly changed in this section of the stadium as fighters were subdued or throats were slashed as the leaf overpowered the enemy.

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned to see several senbon impale themselves in a sand ninja's neck.

A moment later, the mad mist duo appeared before him.

"Haku, Zabuza, it's an…"

"Invasion, we know kid." Zabuza said calmly, before turning to Haku, "You two go help your friends." he ordered.

They nodded as they took off towards the right stand.

* * *

"Heh, give it up girly, you don't stand a chance." an approaching sound ninja smirked.

Sakura stood in front of Ino, a kunai braced.

Ino was nursing her hand, a long but shallow cut scarred the back of her hand to her elbow.

"What's going on?" Sakura shouted at him.

"Can't you tell?" he laughed evilly, "We're going to wreck this place. So why don't you just put down that kunai and maybe we wont kill you."

Sakura scoffed as the three sound approached them, the smallest eyeing them lecherously.

Ino nudged Sakura with her leg.

In that instant, three kunai shout out; two from Ino, one from Sakura's hand. The trio of sound merely leant out the way.

The air wobbled for a second.

Where Ino and Sakura once stood, the third Hokage was now standing in his traditional hat and robes.

"What the?" The original speaker of the trio began.

"You won't leave my village alive!" The third stated proudly before taking a taijutsu stance.

"No! Wait I…" The smallest began.

"Kai!"

The right hand sound had shouted, his fingers together.

The third shimmered away, revealing the two girls.

"Genjutsu" He muttered before reaching out to his leader to free him.

"Ninja Tool: Kunai Gust!"

Spine, head, arms, legs, hands and feet were all engulfed in kunai. Specifically, only the Sound's body parts.

The three ninja dropped to the floor in a crumpled head, covered in metal.

"Tenten!" Sakura called out as the brunette and her makeshift team jumped over.

"Sakura, Ino are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine, Ino was sitting next to that small bastard though." Sakura gestured to Ino's arm as the blonde gripped above the wound tightly.

"This doesn't look good guys, the battle's already begun and we're at a disadvantage." Shikamaru groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "They've got this planned out while we got ambushed. We need to regroup first of all."

"Regroup? How?" Tenten looked puzzled.

"Make sure everyone is fine and help them out if they need it." Shikamaru began, an effective plan forming fast in his brain box.

* * *

"Let's go Akamaru!"

A sound ninja turned to face a loud cry of;

"Fang over Fang!"

The twirling forces struck him square in the stomach, sending him off the edge into the field below.

"Woohoo! You see that Hinata?" He laughed, turning back to his team mate.

His breath caught in his throat as a sound ninja struck out with a kunai towards her. Hinata was watching the blow come towards her, her eyes wide, her body frozen.

"Hinata!" Kiba shouted.

Something clicked as Hinata's eyes closed, her knees bent as the kunai caught a few hairs.

The sound ninja over stretched as Hinata's palms slammed into his right thigh, right side, heart and chin, sending him reeling backwards onto the floor, unmoving.

Both Kiba and Akamaru looked stunned as Hinata stood frozen again, her eyes still closed in her last attack.

She opened her mouth as her breath escaped, she drew it back only to send out a small succession of coughs as she crumpled, kneeling on the floor.

"Hinata!" Kiba rushed to her side as she tried to find her breath.

Sand ninja who had beaten their opponents were advancing down the isles. Several saw the two as easy prey.

An orange and black blur struck one in the face, spun, and grabbed the swinging arm of another.

"Haku, now!"

The sand ninja felt a hand on his head and his back, behind his heart.

"Ice Style: Cold Blooded!"

The four watched as fear flooded the ninja's face. The effects became apparent a second later as his body began turning blue, starting from Haku's hands and spreading over till he was completely blue.

As soon as he'd finished, both Naruto and Haku let go as he over balanced, falling to the floor, his right arm shattering beneath the weight.

The other sound ninja looked at the two newcomers before Naruto's head turned sharply, his blood red eyes staring at each one of them, killer intent leaking out.

Several fled instantly, others took a second to register the danger before following.

As soon as they turned their backs, Naruto's eyes returned to their normal colour as he dropped to the floor on all fours.

"Naruto!" The trio around him called.

Hinata reached out a hand towards him but was cut off as Haku wrapped her arms around him.

Naruto was breathing hard as he tried to push himself onto his knees.

"I'm just…a little…chakra worn,… that's all."

Kiba gave him a confused look.

'What did he do to wear himself down? even after his fight.'

In the corner of his eye, Kiba looked out onto the opposite stand.

A small mass of Naruto were making their way along, frequent smoke bursts between them. Many had also swooped down into the arena again and others were on the roof.

Something brushed along his side and nipped along the small path to Naruto's side.

Naruto looked down as a small red Akamaru dropped a leather pouch in front of him, letting out a yip.

"Good idea Akamaru."

Naruto squinted as the red battle dog nudged the pouch, a few small dark balls rolled out.

"Solider pills." Haku stated.

"Oh yea…" Naruto smirked as he grabbed two that dropped out and bit down.

A few seconds later his breathing returned to normal as he rose to his feet.

"Alright! Now I'm pumped!" He shouted, radiating confidence.

Kiba looked taken aback.

'Two? One of those can keep you going for three days and nights solid, each! How can he eat two without overloading himself?'

"Oi Kiba," Kiba returned to reality, "You got anymore of these?"

"…Yea, why?" Kiba asked, Akamaru returning to his side.

"I'm gonna get these to the others, it'll be faster if we split up."

"Right!"

"Starting with you, Hinata."

The shy Hyūga looked up from her seat on the floor into Naruto's eyes.

"You look like you need one more than me."

Hinata just shook her head no slowly.

"I'm fine Naruto-kun." She coughed, "I'm not supposed to fight yet though."

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Then we should get you to the healers, it'll be safe there."

He crossed his fingers and about fifty more clones appeared. The instant they did, they took off down the rest of the stand he hadn't covered yet as he picked up Hinata bridal style.

"No one'll get you now I got ya Hinata." He smiled.

Hinata's face resumed it's "normal" red colour while Haku glared, arguing with herself inside.

'She's just a friend, this is a battle. Keep your head Haku!'

* * *

Kiba, Haku and Naruto holding Hinata leapt off the edge of the stadium, back down to healing bay other fighters had entered before.

"Naruto!" A voice called.

He turned as they landed in front of the entrance.

Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, Tenten and Neji dropped down behind him.

"Guys! You're all ok!" He smiled, looking more at Sakura and Ino than his other competitors.

"No, thanks to you Naruto!" Sakura scolded.

Shikamaru brushed her off,

"Ne, we have more important things to worry about, where is everyone else?"

"Well I think all our sensei are fighting and they can take care of themselves." Sakura began. "Sasuke, Lee and Chōji are in here so that's everyone isn't it."

Naruto raised his hand to argue that point but a small swarm of bugs in the shape of a hand rested on Sakura's shoulder.

"Aren't you forgetting someone." A calm but firm voice said from the wall's shadow.

Sakura leapt forward, her heart tried to break free of her chest as Shino took a few steps into the group.

"Ok, now everyone's here." Shikamaru started, glancing at Sakura. "We need a plan of action if we are to defend effectively and survive."

A strange sound filled the genin's ears as it burst out of the medical tunnel.

A dark thought entered Naruto's mind as the trail could be seen in everyone else's.

'The sand trio!'

Everyone turned towards the tunnel as a blast of sand overflowed the entrance and covered the genin.

In a flash, they all emerged from the sand, backing up for a second before examining the tunnel.

The sand, now inanimate, lay like a frozen waterfall from the doorway to the ground before them. The area between the sand and ceiling was still big enough for them to get through.

"Chōji!" Shikamaru called out.

Another brainwave swept over them.

Without a word, they all charged into the tunnel together, their heads bowed just slightly.

* * *

Chōji coughed and spluttered, his back against the wall, his legs covered in sand.

"What the…" He began.

"Gaara!" A feminine voice called over the dust and sand.

Trying to regain his bearings, Chōji tried to pierce through the dust.

His eyes caught sight of light through an odd shaped doorway as two black blurs jumped through and out.

His brain kicking back into Shinobi mode, he kicked off the sand and struggled to his feet, a hand in front of his mouth as he waved away the dust.

"Chōji?" A familiar voice called out to him.

"Shikamaru? In here!" he coughed.

The air began clearing as Shikamaru and the remaining Konoha 13 rushed in.

Shikamaru ran up to his long time friend but Ino was slightly faster.

The blonde blur slammed into him, pulling him into a one-armed hug as a few tears broke free.

"Chōji! Thank god." She cried.

Chōji finally got the chance to look around as the dust settled in the room and his mind.

Sand covered the floor and was a good few feet deep. The medical gurneys he and others had been laying on were upturned or buried. What he thought was an odd doorway at first revealed itself as a hole in the wall.

He then heard twin cries of, "Sasuke!" and "Lee!" as Ino released him.

Team 10 turned to see a smoke engulf the lower end of the room as multiple Naruto now tunnelled into the sand followed by the others.

"What's going on?"

"It's an invasion Chōji. The sand and sound are attacking." Ino explained.

"We need every able body if we are to defend from two villages, you think you can fight?" Shikamaru asked, concern hung in his words for his friend he had to battle not an hour ago.

"Gimme a sec." He replied, reaching for his pouch as he brought out a glass case with three pills inside.

"Chōji, you can't use those yet. You're low enough on chakra as it is. You eat those, you won't make it out of this."

His dog-like hearing picking up the conversation, Kiba turned from his digging and tossed his other bag of solider pills over to Shikamaru who caught them out of the air.

"This should work better." He offered.

Chōji hesitantly put his pills away in favour of the Inuzuka's.

His energy flowed back in it's full as soon as the pill hit his bottomless belly.

* * *

While this was going on, the others had uncovered both Lee and Sasuke.

"Oh Sasuke!" Sakura cried as she hugged the Uchiha after seeing the pained look on his face.

Naruto held the bag of solider pills as Sakura looked expectantly at him.

"Come on Naruto! Help him!" She half ordered, half pleaded.

"I can't…" He said simply. Confusion evident on Sakura's face.

"Wha-Why not?" She said angrily.

Kiba's voice cut across hers as she began to reach for the bag.

"Because neither of them would be of any kind of use to us."

Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, Chōji and Ino's eyes widened before looking down at their team mates.

"We all know how these two act. Not only would both of them want to fight on the front lines during this battle, they also have numerous injuries from their own." Shino stated calmly.

"Solider pills only boost your chakra, they can't heal you any faster." Kiba explained.

The group was silent for a moment as the sounds of battle raged outside around them.

"Done." Shikamaru muttered as everyone turned to him.

"Alright, here's the plan." He started, "Sakura, Ino. You two will get Lee and Sasuke to the hospital. Haku you have some medical training, bandage Ino's arm then head out at once." The three girls nodded. "Hinata, you can't fight without straining yourself, you will go with the others to the hospital." Before she could reply Neji cut in.

"I will escort her there myself."

Shikamaru sighed,

"I was afraid of that. Tenten, Kiba." They nodded, "You two get back and make sure the civilians are unharmed and, if you can, get as many of them up and away from the outer walls and battles."

The two nodded in understanding and head back to the door, Shikamaru handing Kiba his pills back as he passed.

"Naruto, myself, Chōji and Shino will hunt down that sand kid and his siste-siblings!" He corrected, his team nodding slowly at the end with raised eyebrows.

"Why them?" Ino asked quickly.

"There's…something not right about them." he replied, his mind struggling to understand. Lack of information caused him to give up and focus on the chase before this answer.

"Take these Sakura." Naruto offered out the pills, already taken a small handful for himself. "We might all need these at some point."

Sakura nodded, taking the pouch, a look of determination on her face. She had been given a mission to protect her crush and this was one mission she would not be useless on.

"Let's go!" Shikamaru shouted to his team.

The four genin escaping through the hole their targets escaped from earlier.

* * *

"Let me take a look at that arm." Haku offered to Ino as soon as their team was alone.

"Uh…thanks." Ino said, holding out her battle scratched arm.

Haku set to work giving it a quick disinfection sprits followed by bandages.

"Are you sure you can walk Hinata-sama." Neji asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I'm fine Neji-nii-san." Hinata reassured him.

While Haku helped Ino and Neji continued his mission for the main house; always protect the main house members, Sakura was checking over Sasuke.

"Don't worry Sasuke. With Neji and… Haku with us, there's no way they'll let you get hurt. You'll save us." She reassured to the unconscious form in her lap. A quick look over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching and quickly slipped a solider pill from the pouch into Sasuke's mouth.

She disguised her actions by lifting her team mate up onto her back, clumsily. Sasuke was much heavier than she thought. Either that or…she was a lot weaker.

Her resolve to finish this mission hardened as Ino helped Lee onto Haku's back, Ino's arm turning out to be near useless for now.

"Byakugan!" Neji called out as his eyes pulsed. "Everybody ready?"

Everyone nodded.

"Let us depart then."

First Neji, then Hinata followed by Haku, Lee and Ino with Sakura and Sasuke bringing up the rear as they leapt out of the hole onto the nearest roof.

However, as Sakura landed, Sasuke's eyes opened.

* * *

Jōnin and chūnin along the wall were doing their best to hold out against the flooding sand and sound ninja but something turned the tide before they could react.

Crash!

A section of Konoha's outer wall crumbled before the recent battle weapon.

The giant three headed snake towered over the wall and let out a mighty, un-snake-like roar from each of it's heads.

One of the chūnin stood right below the beast, where it's scales met the land. He had only one thought on his mind.

'…Mommy…'

"Somebody get back up!" a jōnin cried from above.

This chūnin heard his way out and took it, fleeing from the monstrous summon as fast as he could.

Then again, he would have fled had the order been given or not.

He leapt to the rooftops and jumped several buildings, his breathing ragged not from the sudden run but from looking the creature in the eye.

A flash of movement to his right as he jumped away.

More blurs past him as they landed on different rooftops.

Their red swirls didn't mistake it.

Back up had arrived.

"This is as far as you're going to get!" A jōnin leader called out to the boas, performing hand signs as he did.

The same signs were copied by his squad as simultaneous ball of fire shot of their mouths, trying to engulf the snakes.

The flames danced around their scales.

Their heads, the target and apparent weak spot, reared back out of the way before slamming into the shinobi occupied buildings, all but a few fireball jutsu sources extinguished.

* * *

"Kai!"

Another pair of civilians awoke. The husband and wife looked around groggily before sharp sounds and a loud instruction rang in their ears.

"Get to the bunker!"

Their brains awakening, they both noticed the bunned brunette staring sternly at them.

Their villages emergency knowledge flowed to the front of their minds as they immediately rose and passed the girl with the buns, up and out of the stadium.

"You know, one of these people could at least say thanks." Kiba complained as he stood guard a few rows down.

"Shut up Kiba!" Tenten scolded, jumping to the next pair of people.

Kiba growled as his keen eyes scanned around them. Battles were going on all around them but none of them were in their section.

He guessed he had Naruto to thank for that.

Tenten put her hands on the next pair's heads.

"K…"

She began.

Should couldn't even get out three letters before a white and brown blur slammed into their heads.

The pair awoke the next second.

"Uh…Get to the bunker!" Tenten ordered again.

The pair, a young boy and teenage girl rose. Tenten looked up and saw the rest of the row heading towards the door.

"How did…?" She asked.

A small yip from the chair one row up answered her question.

"Good job Akamaru!" Kiba called back.

The pup barked again before jumping back onto his owners head.

"He can use chakra too, remember." Kiba turned and winked at Tenten.

Her eyes widened however as a figure leapt over the edge of the arena towards Kiba.

She couldn't reach her kunai in time as the sound ninja readied his for the killing blow.

"Dynamic Entry!"

Her heart slowed as not a second later, the sound ninja's head met with the arena bars with a sickening crunch before he toppled back over the edge.

The two genin stood shocked as the new figure turned toward them.

"Don't let your guard down!" He said before his left eye closed in a wink, his teeth let off an audible 'ping' and his left hand raised itself into a thumbs up.

"Guy-sensei!" Tenten smiled, her thanks for her teacher outweighing the impulse to yell at him.

"Are you two all right?" He asked.

They both nodded.

"Good. The civilians should be escaping through the secret passage to get to the bunker. Good work." He smiled, again with a 'ping'.

A sand ninja shot out between Guy and Kiba, several kunai lodged in his chest. He crashed into the seats before landing in a heap on the floor.

Tenten and Kiba turned to see what had caused it.

"You're late Kakashi!" Guy said firmly.

"Sorry." He apologised in his half bored, half sleepy voice. "I was taking out the trash."

All three sweat dropped.

Kakashi's demeanour suddenly changed.

"Kiba, Tenten, where is everyone else?"

"Uh…We met up in the medical room." Kiba began. "Shikamaru thought up a plan. Ino, Sakura, Neji and that girl Haku are getting Sasuke, Lee and Hinata to the hospital. Me and Tenten were ordered to get the civilians out of here."

"What? Why were you taking Sasuke out of a clearly safe area?" Kakashi's voice rose.

Kiba backed down a bit, his hands raised in front of him.

"It was hardly safe!" Tenten shouted behind him, taking Kakashi's single eyed gaze off Kiba and onto her. "That Gaara kid went nuts, the whole place is filled with sand, there wasn't a medi-ninja around the whole time we were there!"

Kakashi's eye widened before he flashed out of sight. They presumed down to the medical bay.

"What about the rest of the genin?" Guy asked, authority in his voice but no hint of anger.

"Uh…we don't know. We left before he said anything else." Tenten admitted, feeling a little ashamed for not knowing the full battle plan and safety of her team mates.

"All we know is that Shikamaru, Naruto, Chōji and Shino were the only ones left."

Guy's massive eyebrows furrowed.

'If Shikamaru is anything like his father, he's already made a plan. Combine that with that with the four man cell he could make and those genin could take down a few enemy ninja before needing any back up.'

Another sound ninja burst over the edge of the railing towards Guy's turned back.

Without blinking he jumped, turned and sent him sailing right back where he came from with a swift kick.

"Right, well I trust Shikamaru's judgement, you two should keep this up, the sooner we get the civilians out of here the better." Guy announced.

"Right!" Tenten and Kiba nodded together with a positive 'yip' from Akamaru.

'I just hope everyone's okay…' Tenten thought, her mind trailing back to a specific blonde.

* * *

"Oi, keep up Naruto!" Shikamaru called back.

Naruto picked up his pace to resume his position in the cell, resisting the urge to sneeze.

The team was travelling across the leaf village in diamond formation. Shino stood at the back, several bugs flying off behind him every few paces to detect anyone trailing them. Next came Shikamaru and Chōji in the middle, should the group get intercepted, they could split in four different directions coupled with keeping their muscle and mind together. Naruto took up the remaining position at the front. He'd managed to convince Shikamaru his eyes would be best at spotting anything ahead and either side.

"This way," he called back, his red slitted eyes glimpsing something in the distance.

The group followed Naruto's lead despite the unusual niggling in the back of their mind that something wasn't right with this either.

Since when could Naruto track?

Sounds of battles faded the further they hurried into the village. They were nearly three-quarters of the way to the Hokage manor.

Shikamaru didn't like it.

"If my predictions are correct, they're heading toward the academy!"

* * *

"Eh? What's up Konohamaru?" the small orange haired girl asked her friend.

The boy in question was gazing around the sun.

Not into it directly, just…around it.

"There's something not right about this." He muttered.

"Well we're having an emergency evacuation, we get to miss class. That's a bonus right?" She smiled, bringing both hands clenched just under her chin for cuteness effect, trying to draw his gaze to her instead.

"Hmmm…" Konohamaru's gaze fell to the further regions of the village underneath the sun at this point in time.

"Alright everyone. We're going out through the trap door in the kunai range today. Just follow your teacher's and obey instructions!" A kunoichi called to the classes, authority heavy in her voice.

Konohamaru obeyed reluctantly as he turned back to his instructor for the day since Iruka cashed in some time off just for Naruto's fight.

The classes quickly hurried to the range. Being at the opposite end of the building, Iruka's class would enter last purely because of such fact.

"Gaara!…"

The instructor's heads turned, as well as Konohamaru's and two other students.

"Everybody inside now!" The closest teacher called out, herding the last of the students into the open range before performing the ram hand sign.

Three instructors remained outside as the metal door closed shut, quickly, with barely a click as they turned toward the source of the disturbance.

"Gaara, wait!" A higher pitched voice called out. A female's as far as the teachers could tell.

"Stay AWAY!" A distressed shout echoed in the academy courtyard.

The teacher's readied themselves.

An explosion of sand erupted on the rooftop directly across from the courtyard.

The roof caved. The explosion sent half the building crumbling into chunks before falling towards them.

It crashed into the ground where the wall ended, heavy chunks landing on top burying the helpless trashcan located beneath.

The two male teachers clutched kunai while the kunoichi held her hands ready for counter-attack.

The roof and dust settled as contents of the apartments located within could be seen.

"…Mother… must have blood!" a dark and eerie voice pierced through the rubble.

The stone and other materials shifted as something pushed them up from below. Before the crumbled to the floor they scattered into a fine powder as what could only be described as a monster rose from the debris.

"…You'll do perfectly!…" The figure muttered before it's over-proportioned right arm shot out.

* * *

"Hinata-san, I will carry you if I have to." Neji's monotone voice half ordered.

"I am fine…Neji-nii-san." Hinata gasped as her lungs asked for more air than she could breathe.

"Hinata, we have to get to the hospital as fast as we can." Ino complained, Lee's weight was beginning to tire her working arm out, Haku lending him to her while she stood on point as the group had ducked into a dead-end alley to recover. Mostly for Hinata's sake.

"I must insist the urgency of our departure." Haku called back, her voice lowered. "The battles are drawing closer."

Hinata looked into her cousins eyes briefly before looking down at her feet.

"Okay then…" She muttered.

Neji reached down and plucked the fragile girl up into his arms, one under her knees and another along her back.

"Then we are ready." Neji stated.

Haku turned and ran with the others as they dashed up the building.

There's no such thing as a dead-end for a ninja.

With Haku being the only one with arms free, she was the lone guard for the small squad.

The group jumped across to the next rooftop as battle continued below. An explosion shocked Ino, Sakura and Hinata as it went off directly below them as they crossed to another roof.

"Just keep going!" Haku ordered, unaffected by the sudden blast.

The battles helped draw little attention so far, but here their luck ran out.

As Haku landed three sound ninja followed from below, jumping up to the rooftop as they spotted easy prey.

Sensing their chakra, Haku turned and hurled a senbon at each of them. Aiming for their throat.

The lead sound ninja merely blocked the senbon with three of his own.

"I'll take care of these guys, just get them to safety!" The ice mistress called back as she tuned to face her opponents.

Neji's eyes caught hers, nodding in response before the three continued with their cargo.

"Shouldn't we help her…Hinata said, her voice like a whisper to her 'nii-san'.

"She is a fully qualified kunoichi with more experience than any of us. I do not doubt her skills to at least stall for us."

"Well, lookie what we found!" the voice rang in the genin's ears.

Neji turned to see a another trio of sand ninja standing on the opposite roof, all smirking confidently.

"If I'm not mistaken, there's a pair of eyes for each of us there." the leader continued.

"Hinata-san, can you stand?" Neji whispered to his cousin.

"Hai…" She replied as he lowered her legs to the ground.

"It is my duty to protect you…get everyone else out of here."

"But-"

"Go!"

Hinata gulped nervously before the remaining girls began moving towards the edge of the roof as Neji stepped forward, settling into his "Gentle Fist" stance after a blink and, "Byakugan".

"Heh, like we'll let you escape that easily." The sand leader laughed, leaping over the gap with his team mates.

Neji intercepted him, striking him thrice on his left arm as it rose to block followed by a kick to the gut.

His team mate flanking on the left struck as Neji's attack ended, aiming to bring his arm down on his leg.

Neji twirled on his remaining leg before planting the other out of the way, turning into a spin.

"Rotation!" he shouted as a blue swirl of chakra caught his foe's arm, grinding it against the pure chakra before yanking him along with the spin, hurling him along the roof before his head caught the slight rise at the edge, knocking him out.

Neji stopped spinning as he rounded on the third foe.

His spinning had either thrown his timing off or the sand ninja was faster.

"Hinata-san!"

Hinata had frozen the moment the sand ninja had moved, her eyes wide as the last sand ninja drew and raised his kunai.

Thunk!

"…That's not very nice…"

The sand ninja's eyes widened as a dark red pair with two tomoe in each, stared back into his.

Before he could react, a leather-bound fist slammed into his face, sending him sprawling.

"Sasuke!" Ino cheered.

The boy didn't react as he turned toward her, now looking her in the eyes.

Neji's attention split between the new fighter and the sand leader attacking him again.

He ducked, turning as he did, narrowly dodging a kunai.

He brought his arms up, striking him in several places along his undamaged arm before slamming his elbow back into the ninja's ribs, robbing him of his breath as he curled up on the floor.

Neji delivered a swift kick to the temple to knock him out as his eyes showed him Ino, holding Lee, drop to the floor.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Neji shouted at his fellow leaf ninja.

Black flames travelled along his left arm and face before he turned to the Hyūga prodigy.

"You're holding me back." he said simply before flashing out of sight.

Only Neji's duty to Hinata tied him to the spot as his sight saw the Uchiha already several houses away, heading towards the gate where the bulk of the invasion was stationed.

"Neji-nii-san." Hinata called to her cousin as she knelt by Ino's side. "What did he do to them?"

Neji turned and saw Sakura on the floor too. Both her's and Ino's chakra were flowing incorrectly.

"They are both under a mild genjustu." he reported, kneeling by Sakura's side as they both released the genjutsu.

The two girls raised themselves up slowly.

"What's going on?" A familiar voice shouted.

The group turned to see Haku land followed by Zabuza.

"Sasuke woke up." Neji reported. "We can worry about details later, right now our main goal is the hospital."

The group rose with Zabuza helping Lee back onto to Ino's back. Poor boy had taken even more bumps just by travelling.

Sakura just sat and looked out around her.

'…Sasuke?…'

* * *

Crash!

Several buildings were reduced to rubble and splinters as a scaled tail slid through them. The giant summon's heads reared up and hissed again before slamming down on another set of buildings.

Through the dust and smoke, shuriken and kunai flew, making their mark in buildings, trees or their intended targets; the enemy.

Leaf, sand and sound ninja lay still on the streets, their bodies broken from slashes, kicks and jutsu.

Several leaf ninja stood on a building, downwind from the action as they observed the destruction.

"We have to hold them off somehow!" A jōnin shouted to others down below.

The snake reared up again as a trench coated ninja just stared at the beast in shock.

'Grrr it's out of our hands now…"

A voice called out over the battle.

Relief washed over leaf ninja while the enemy trembled in fear.

"Summoning: Bring down the House Jutsu!"

A huge burst of smoke in the sky briefly before a large shadow cast itself on the floor.

The air split and the ground shook as a giant, green toad burst into existence, two katana strapped around it's back by a pink belt, and slammed down, right onto a snake's head.

It's neck, (if you can call it that,) was crushed beneath the giant toad as it let out one last, feeble hiss. It's eyes rolling back to show only yellow as it's brain shut down.

"That jutsu!" Ibiki muttered, shielding his eyes from the dust blown up.

As it settled, the squad looked back at the new arrival with awe.

"Long time no see Ibiki," The summoner called from atop the toad, "My, my, what have they been feeding you? You used to be such a little squirt."

"Master Jiraiya, finally joining us are you?" Ibiki smirked.

"Jiraiya? Like the sannin?" One of the less experienced jōnin asked in disbelief.

"Alright you baby chicks, open wide those beady, little eyes of yours, watch closely." He called back as he began his signature dance. "When it comes to dealing with strange, otherworldly freaks and monsters, no one's better than a strange hermit ninja! Thank goodness that Jiraiya's here!" The other snakes stopped smashing up the city and focused on the mad hermit. "Now unless you wanna make this frolic really mad you'll never bother us again!"

His thoughts turned serious.

'So that pain in the neck, Orochimaru, has finally started.'

Ibiki landed next to him atop Gamahiro.

"Where's Hokage?" Jiraiya asked.

"The battle arena."

"I see."

'Don't die on us old man.'

* * *

Several ninja close by had stopped to watch the spectacle as one of their giant opponents was crushed in an instant.

Many sound and sand were shocked and afraid; a sannin had now joined the battle against them. This was not what Orochimaru/Kazekage trained them for.

Several lower ranked ninja backed up closer to the wall they'd breached while others continued the attack, afraid but determined.

Leaf ninja saw this as an opportunity to push back and did so with gusto.

* * *

"That's it! Don't give 'em an inch!" A jōnin commander shouted as he planted a kunai into another sand's heart.

His three squad mates joined him as they pushed them back across buildings and streets.

It seemed too easy at first.

"Now!" A sand ninja called out, jumping back into building wreckage.

The leaf jōnin looked down at a loosely covered paper tag as it began smoking.

Boom!

Several explosions filled the crossroads.

"Yaha! Now that's how you take leaf scum out!" A sand shouted, trying to boost his team's morale.

On the other side of the street, three figures shot out of the smoke with minor damage, including the commander.

"Kyoha!" He shouted, trying to call out to the only chūnin not to emerge.

"Looking for someone?" The squad turned to see a sharingan wielding genin holding up said team mate by the scruff of his neck.

"You!" The jōnin commander gasped.

"Yea, me." Sasuke smirked, dropping the unconscious chūnin at his feet. "My turn." He muttered, flashing out of sight so fast even the jōnin comander couldn't believe this genin's speed.

The sand ninja responsible for the explosion laughed loudly at his victory.

"Didja see that! I blew them straight to…"

Wham!

Sasuke flew through the smoke and sent the guy flying into a wall with a strong kick to the face.

Before his two team mates could react he'd jumped into the air and finished his hand signs.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Small, powerful balls of fire stuck the area around the two before a pair hit them, sending them flat on their backs.

One quickly jumped to his feet only to her the unmistakeable sound of a kunai finding it's target.

The small smokescreen caused by the jutsu quickly dissipated, revealing Sasuke, perfectly balanced on a kunai in his team mate's throat.

"You bastard!" he shouted, flying through his own hand signs.

"Earth Style: Bombardment!"

Sasuke felt the chakra around him as the very earth and stone centred on him.

Bits of wall, stones and tiles all shot straight towards him from all directions.

"HA! Let's see you escape THAT!" The final sand ninja taunted.

The dust began to settle as his eyes tried to find his victim.

The light suddenly let up as a shadow covered him.

He looked up.

Slam!

Sasuke brought his foot down on the top of the sand's head, slamming it into the floor before flipping back, landing crouched.

"Tsh, too easy…" he muttered.

His heart beat.

"Urgh!" He clutched his side, gasping and breathing a little deeper than before. "…Damn Lee!"

The pain fled a moment later, his flame marks flashing purple briefly right before it.

"This power…it's…unbelievable!" He laughed.

Behind him, he heard the clangs and whizzes of battle.

He turned to face them, seeing the flashes of steel meeting and the jutsu used battering the streets and the opposition.

He started walking towards the battle, an arrogant smirk on his face.

A giant snake head slammed into the ground in the middle of the battles, sending ninja scattering to safety for a few brief moments as another building fell.

"Finally…a challenge." he smirked before running towards his new target.

The snake's head turned sharply. It's eyes staring straight into Sasuke's sharingan. The snake lifted it's head, it's new focus on Sasuke while his other, middle head distracted the sannin and his toad.

Sasuke jumped, landing on a building on the left hand section running down the street.

The snake reared back, poised to strike as Sasuke drew nearer before it released, it's jaws open wide, on a direct course for the Uchiha.

Sasuke jumped right, onto the opposite side, his eyes keeping up with the snake's movements.

The building crumbled as the snake's head tore through it, it's body at a full stop as it collided with the ground.

Sasuke saw his chance and jumped back, his feet planting themselves onto the scales and holding on with chakra.

It moved, lifting it's head high it shook his head quickly, trying to remove the dust from it's eyes.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted at his body, running along the scales up to it's head, drawing a handful of tags in each hand.

The snake's irritant cleared as it searched for it's prey quickly.

A darkness quickly fell over it's left eye and something rectangular latched itself above and below the eye.

Feeling for the connection, the snake shook it's head violently, feeling it's prey latched to the top.

"Damn it…" Sasuke cursed as he held on tight with his chakra. He couldn't move like this.

"Take this!" he gritted his teeth, holding his right hand up in a half ram sign.

A bright light filled the snake's vision, or at least half of it.

The flash tags lit up like the sun as Sasuke activated them.

The light was too much for this giant summon. With no eyelids to block the light, all it could do was writhe in pain. It's movements became faster as it jerked it's head more and more.

Sasuke bent down, holding himself steady with his hands full of chakra.

Suddenly the snake jerked it's head straight down.

He could feel the air trying to rip him off as his holds weakened.

Before the snake struck the ground it jerked back up.

Sasuke's grip failed as the sudden change in direction strained his joints.

As the snake reached the top of it's reach, Sasuke was hurled up into the air.

His body shot up, the wind holding his limbs stiff as he rose higher and higher.

The pain on his neck and side suddenly flared from the seal along with his other injuries.

He cried out in pain, not even able to grip himself in pain, only bear it.

He was much higher than even the Hokage monument before his body slowed and he could grip his…everywhere tightly, trying to stop the pain.

Gravity brought his mind back to earth shortly before his body began the journey.

The cold air stung his eyes as he picked up speed, his limbs now stuck to his sides as he shot downward.

"Come on!…Move!" He cried out to himself, willing his limbs to obey him.

In one quick movement, his arms forced themselves against the wind and up to his face.

He shielded his eyes from the wind, trying to re-open them to find a means to save himself.

Opening a crack between his fingers he looked down, the air battering itself against his eyebrow.

His eyes caught sight of his flash tags as they burnt on the snake's eye…directly in front of him.

The snake's eyes were once again fixed with his. The only difference this time being the pain at the back of his neck and the eerie purple glow from the three tomoe on the snakes head.

The second snake's head fell to the ground with a huge smash as Gamahiro flicked his katana, while Jiraiya landed back on his head, his breath as hot as the dragon flame bomb jutsu he just unleashed.

'Why did it's last head not back it up?' Jiraiya thought, quickly turning to face the last major obstacle in this breech.

His eyebrows furrowed as he saw the last snake looking into the sky at something.

Turning his own gaze that way he saw something small moving through the air fast.

His eagle eyes zooming in on said object.

A red and white fan.

His mind raced remembering what Orochimaru was after all those years ago, watching as the snake's mouth opened slowly.

"Oh no you don't! Gamahiro!" Jiraiya shouted to the toad, his partner knowing immediately what to do.

* * *

Sasuke shot closer towards the fangs as it's mouth opened wider. The air pressure dropped as he regained control of his limbs. His mind shocked into slow-mode while his body worked on autopilot, reaching for anything from his pouch.

In the corner of his eye he saw a giant green blur shoot towards his destination.

Sasuke's hand gripped a kunai as his frontal vision filled with snake mouth. "NO!" Jiraiya shouted, leaping from his position, willing the snake's jaws not to close.

Sasuke's head turned and his eyes met Jiraiya's…

* * *

An explosion of sand flared up in front of the Leaf cell.

Naruto, Shikamaru, Chōji and Shino jumped out of the way onto a building edge as the sand fell back to earth.

"Gaara what are you doing!" A familiar voice met the leaf's ears.

They turned to see the puppet user and the fan wielder just down the row of buildings they were on, shouting towards whatever the group had just dodged.

The sand settled as a deep triumphant laugh rang out across the…clearing.

"Hey guys…" Chōji started, confusion present in his voice. "…wasn't the academy here yesterday?…"

The group looked around, all noting the buildings they all recognised as they entered the academy each morning not a year ago…except the academy itself.

"GRAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The group looked down into the clearing, exactly where their old class room used to stand.

The one they knew as "Gaara" looked like he was fading away as sand consumed him from right side to left. His gourd had disappeared or possibly now covered his back and formed the tail behind him. His right arm was covered in sand and at least five times to big to fit his body. Dark blue 'veins' covered the sand from every point, all the way up to his half transformed face. Exactly half his face was covered with the stuff. The white of his eye now black with a yellow Iris. It held a black four point star as the pupil surrounded by four black dots.

Over by his siblings, Temari was holding her head in her hands while Kankurō looked sternly at his brother.

"Temari, there's no stopping him now." He comforted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We need to get out of here before he takes us out along with this place."

"But Kan-"

"Our mission is done Temari." He said, downcast. "We'll get him later." Temari nodded before jumping away in the direction of the Hokage monument.

Before Kankurō jumped away he muttered to himself;

"…if we can."

* * *

Shikamaru watched as the two Suna nin jumped away, leaving the score four against one.

The small group backed up, away from visibility from the monstrous genin.

"Right you guys, we need to-" Shikamaru began, trying to get the most effective plan sorted in his head. Naruto, however, cut in.

"Leave him to me…" He said firmly, just looking down into the destroyed academy ground, his eyes catching sight of something he wished he hadn't seen; a pair of green goggles.

They looked at him like a mad man. Well, Shino just looked with raised eyebrows.

"Wha-? We can't do that Naruto, you have no idea what we're up against, he could-" Shikamaru argued but once again, Naruto interrupted.

"He's the container for the One-Tailed beast, Shukaku." Naruto replied.

"Bu- how do you think you can beat him on your own! The nine tails nearly raised this village to the ground! Why do you think you can take down the one tail?" Shikamaru shouted harshly, worried for his comrade.

"Don't forget that Jiraiya trained me to use his secret awesome techniques while we were out hunting. You three go and get the other two."

Shikamaru was beside himself by now. His mind was drawing a blank as to what he could do and how this battle could work out in their favour.

"Shikamaru, Chōji, you two go after the others. I will remain and assist Naruto. If possible I will also get Jiraiya here as fast as possible using my bugs." Shino said in his monotone voice.

Shikamaru didn't like this one bit.

"If you guys are sure then we've got no choice." Chōji sighed in defeat, "Come on Shikamaru." Grabbing his friends collar and yanking him away.

It didn't take them long to flash out of sight, that's when Shino spoke to Naruto.

"I hope you know what you're doing. I will try to assist in anyway possible."

Naruto nodded as Shino backed up to another building, releasing some of his bugs to find Jiraiya."

Naruto walked back to the edge, looking down at Gaara. Naruto's anger rose as his saw definite, fresh blood patches on pieces of debris remaining.

"How dare you!" He shouted out down at the sand jinchūriki.

The grotesque, incomplete tailed genin turned and glared it's fellow jinchūriki, his teeth sharp evident with saliva coating his lower jaw.

"It's you! You you you YOU!" He babbled, his voice rising with each successive word. "I've been looking forward to this! Mother will be pleased!"

Naruto gritted his teeth.

"You will pay for everyone you hurt!" He yelled back reaching inside himself and feeling for Kyuubi's chakra.

The form that was Gaara just burst out laughing evilly.

"You think you can kill me?" He roared. "You will not wipe out my existence!"

Their eyes locked, Naruto's blood red eyes burning into Gaara's own.

"You invaded my village and attacked my friends! You will pay for every person you've killed!" Naruto raged.

"**NARUTO!**" A booming voice shouted from inside his head.

'Kyu…Kyubi?'

"**Control your emotions! If you do not think clearly he will destroy you!**" Kyubi shouted.

Naruto slowed his breathing down, taking a few deep breaths. Closing his eyes for maximum effect.

"Bad move!" A scratchy voice yelled.

His eyes shot open as a sandy veined hand shot out towards him, slamming into the ledge beneath his feet.

Shino watched from behind as Naruto was bathed in dust before jumping back. The small section off roof he was on crumbling to the ground below.

Both genin watched as the sandy hand gripped the new ledge it had made.

Naruto's ears picked up the straining in the sand.

His hands flashed in and out of his pouch before hurling the drawn items.

Shino watched as the twin kunai just missed the hand.

Two thuds followed as they imbed themselves into Gaara's right shoulder when he jumped up to the building.

Time slowed as the three all heard the sound of…

Boom!

Gaara was consumed in smoke as the tagged kunai exploded.

Shino's eyebrows raised again as Naruto remained focused.

The smoke soon cleared revealing Gaara's giant arm held in front of his face.

"You'll have to do better than that!" he shouted.

As soon as he finished, two orange blurs shot out of the sand wrist.

The kunai were fired so fast, the friction from the air made them burn.

Naruto's eyes widened as they flew too fast for him to dodge.

The first slammed into his stomach, making him reel over in the split second he had before bursting into smoke, the second flying through the smoke, tearing a big hole in the rooftop access behind.

"Huh?" Gaara stared, angrily confused.

Shino quickly scanned the area for Naruto.

"Your turn!" Gaara shouted, suddenly turning toward Shino.

The bug user summoned his bugs as Gaara jumped with huge force, his hand outstretched towards his new target.

"Naruto Style: Whip!"

As Gaara crossed the gap between buildings mid-jump, a mass of black and orange slammed into his exposed side.

Shino watched as a line of Naruto rose up from the alley, the top most one just reaching above the edge, before they slammed into Gaara, bursting into smoke in the process.

Gaara shot through the air, receiving the full force of the blow, crashing into and through an apartment building.

The real Naruto jumped back up to the roof, landing on Shino's side as the dust rose.

"Pretty sneaky, using me as bait." Shino spoke, his voice a little deeper than usual.

"Gomen, Shino, but I needed the distraction to make some more clones."

"For that sneak attack?"

Naruto nodded.

"If his sand gets a hold of you, you're dead, I needed the clones."

"I've been looking forward to this!…"

The two turned and saw Gaara, now standing on the other building's roof just above the hole he made in the wall.

"This…pain…What a thrill it will be to crush such an opponent capable of wounding me. Such a victory will make me feel alive!"

Gaara's voice rang out across the small battleground and into the surrounding area, making Naruto and Shino shiver.

From his back, Naruto reached up and drew his sword. The metal rang until Naruto held it out, pointing the end at Gaara.

"You'll never win! Not so long as I'm around!" He shouted back, once again pulling on Kyubi's chakra.

Gaara laughed deeply.

"You think you're existence is greater than mine?" He shot forward. "You're wrong!"

Naruto crouched quickly before shooting forward himself, his sword raised, it's silver blade tinting red.

Faster than Shino could track, the pair clashed.

Naruto's blade sliced along Gaara's outstretched arm, slicing down the middle.

Before he could finish his swing, Gaara's tail rose and slammed into him, carrying his body before it flicked at the end of it's swing, sending him shooting into the wreckage that was the academy.

Naruto felt debris pile on top of him as he slid under it, the jagged edges cutting everything they could reach.

He slowed as the force dissipated.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto willed his arms to move. Releasing his sword, he brought his hands in front of his body, forming a single hand sign.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A huge burst of smoke surrounded him.

Arms replaced debris as dozens grabbed his jacket, hoisting him, what he could only assume was up.

He lungs quickly drew in fresh air as the many clones untangled themselves from the mass.

Naruto quickly looked around.

He couldn't spot Gaara.

"Oi, boss!" a clone called out. "Look over here!"

The real Naruto turned to see several clones pushing aside building stone and wood around a small hand.

Naruto could only watch as his clones lifted the last bits away revealing Konohamaru, his body shielded from the destruction by a chalkboard and desk.

"He's got a pulse!" One clone called back, feeling the young boy's neck with two fingers.

Naruto released a breath he didn't realise he was holding as the clones cleared a spot around his friend, two checking for any life threatening injuries.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

The blonde and clones turned back only to see Gaara's maniacal grin as he held up an unconscious bug user.

"Shino!" Naruto shouted out, his friend's life possibly seconds away from ending. "You lay another finger on my friend and I swear I will pulverise you!"

"Watch as I end his life Uzumaki Naruto!" Gaara called down, his sand wrapping around Shino's body until only his head was exposed.

A clone quickly handed Naruto his blade.

"Sand Burial!"

Crunch!Shino's mouth opened in pain as the sand compressed around him.

"No…no Shino!"

Gaara's deep laugh rang out loud as he took in Naruto's anguish. His body reeling in the cries of sadness his prey obviously felt.

"Grr…Damn it!" Naruto glared back at his opponent, flicking his blade at the ground, it's red colour reassumed as the force of the swing sent debris scattering.

The thought of using Shino as bait for a well-timed blow earlier now sickened him.

Naruto focused all of his rage and hate at the boy who'd murdered his latest friend.

Naruto crouched again, about to tear into the sand until there was nothing left.

"**Wait…**"

Naruto caught himself as his eyes flicked back to the "coffin".

Bugs began crawling over the sand.

Naruto looked on as Shino's head lost it's colour, bugs detaching themselves AS his face.

"What's wrong Naruto?"

The blonde turned as the bug user stood next to him, his shades still in place and his hands in his pockets.

"You didn't really think I'd not improved this past month did you?"

"Sh…Shino…" Naruto smiled while some of his clones preformed several whoops and displays of joy Naruto felt inside.

Gaara looked down at the scene in rage, both of his prey were still alive.

His head throbbed and his stance weakened.

He clutched his head in pain.

"If you have a plan Naruto," Shino said, "I'd suggest you pull out the big finale now. I didn't give up two thirds of my colony to distract him for nothing you know."

Naruto nodded, he wouldn't Gaara lay another finger on his village, nor anyone in it.

Naruto wiped a bit of blood from his side, a large hole present over his healing wound.

His hands quickly sped through signs before he slammed one down.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A large burst of smoke later and a familiar face greeted Naruto.

"So, find yourself in need of assistance eh?"

A blue flipper cut through the air swiftly and the smoke was gone in an instant. The blue toad sat in his usual pose, elbows perched on the inside of his thighs while his yellow robe flapped in the wind.

"Gamasonshō, ready for battle." The toad saluted.

Shino looked stunned at the new technique Naruto had learnt. A lot of chakra was required for stronger summons and this guy looked and sounded the part.

"Great, I need you to help me take down the one tailed Shukaku." Naruto explained quickly.

"A tailed beast?" The frog pondered the information before turning his head. "A little scrawny for a tailed beast isn't he?"

"He hasn't fully released himself, something's wrong but we need to take him out before he can hurt anyone else." Naruto urged.

"Heh, you called the right guy for the job kid." The blue toad smirked, now turning to face his opposition.

"All right, it's time for me to end this!" Naruto began, "I won't let you harm anyone anymore!"

He shouted back to his clones.

"You guys know what to do!" To which they replied with a simultaneous nod.

The pain built inside Gaara's head.

He threw his head back before letting out a deep howl, sending a small shockwave throughout the area.

His left arm jerked weirdly before sand crawled along it, it's shape mimicking his other arm.

The howl died down as Gaara's eyes returned to the fight at hand, his face and torso now completely covered in sand, with eyes of black and yellow, topped off with jagged teeth, though his read hair and tattoo were still visible.

"You will all DIE!" He yelled out, his voice now deeper with hints of something else wanting to be heard.

"Formation 7" Gamasonshō called as he and Naruto jumped apart, each darting into the two alleys below the building while the clones split between jumping straight at Gaara and running up the wall.

Gaara's arms shot out, extending far beyond anyone's normal reach, slamming into the clones before bringing his arms down, crushing the others against the wall.

Naruto and Gamasonshō leapt up on opposite sides behind the beast.

"Here we go!" The two called out as they charged.

Gaara's tail flicked out, sweeping along the roof toward Naruto first.

The blonde was ready.

He gripped his blade in both hands before slicing up as the tail approached. The blade cut clean through the sand, completely splitting the tail in two.

Gaara turned sharply, his mouth twisted in anger and pain.

"My go!" The shaolin master closed in on Gaara.

He brought his right arm back and launched it forward to it's limit.

It's limit was just before Gaara's face.

His flipper stopped a few inches away.

A second later, Gaara shot back clean over the academy ruins toward a clean set of buildings.

Wasting no time, the duo leapt after him, channelling chakra to their feet for extra speed.

* * *

Gaara slammed into the side of a shop, bouncing off before landing in a ball in the street.

The sand fell away from it's ball form until Gaara was once again standing without a mark.

In a flash, the boy and his toad were at the end of the street, shooting towards him.

"I won't let you!" Gaara cried out, his arms reaching up and gripping the two opposing building alley entrances in front of him before suspending him in mid air, his tail pointing straight back.

"Naruto!" The toad jumped in front of his summoner before raising his arms to block.

Gaara's hands strained, the tension building.

"Take this!"

His body shot and rolled forward as his tail arced high, it's width expanding.

"Get ready!" Gamasonshō cautioned, holding one arm behind his back as Naruto gripped his sword tighter.

The sandy appendage slammed down through the air before impacting on the pair.

Underneath, the toad was straining with the effort and pain of holding a small section up.

"Now!"

He brought his left fist forward as Naruto sliced up.

From the outside, one would see a bright red "X" appear on the sand before it exploded outward.

In the middle of the explosion, Naruto and Gamasonshō rose, the latter grabbing the former's legs.

Naruto held his sword to the side while the toad hurled him forward.

No sooner was he outside the toad's reach did Naruto bring hold his sword above his head, gripping with both hands as his body rolled through the air, mimicking a saw blade.

Gaara's eyes widened as the boy drew closer.

He was exposed.

He released his grip on the buildings as brought his arms together, attempting to crush the ball of death approaching.

His arms clapped in another wave of sand with Naruto between them.

Naruto felt the pressure spike as the sand worked against him, cutting up his outfit even more but not crushing him completely or slowing him to a stop.

With nothing left to hold him up, Gaara dropped to the floor in an attempt to dodge the blow but Naruto was too close before his retaliation.

The blonde's spinning slowed but his blade glowed brighter.

A second later, a burst of red light cut through the sand as Naruto's sword reach extended.

The sand along the arms fled back to it's host as fast as possible to form a shield around him. Enough made it for a moderate frontal shield before Naruto stuck.

His spinning had slowed to a stop, the sand pressure had let up and he could see clearly as he brought the sword down in a final heavy swing, the red chakra slicing clean through the shield.

A cloud of dust jumped up as the blade hit the ground.

Gamasonshō looked on, Shino joining him on his right holding Konohamaru in his arms.

The dust settled slowly as Naruto panted, still in position from his last sword swing.

"Did I…get him?…"

The dust and sand in front of him cleared, revealing Gaara's unconscious body nowhere to be seen.

"What?" Naruto shouted, jumping back away from the small pile of sand.

No sooner then he had did the ground fall away where both he and Gaara stood moments ago.

The collapsing ground followed Naruto as he jumped back several steps, cracking every time he set his foot down.

Taking the hint, he jumped up to the rooftops, joining Gamasonshō and Shino.

"He must've gone underground…" Shino stated calmly.

"Hmmm…that's not good considering what I've seen of this kid's powers." Gamasonshō spoke up.

Naruto focused his gaze on the floor, looking for any sign of movement.

Gaara wasn't beaten yet…

* * *

'…That…chakra…why does it feel so…similar…'

'How…How can he be so strong?…'

'He won't beat me…he can't BEAT ME!'

* * *

"We have visitors." Shino said calmly as a bug landed on his shoulder.

"Uzumaki!"

The odd trio turned.

Approaching down the street with surprisingly quiet feet, was a giant Chōza Akimichi with Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka resting on opposite shoulders.

The smaller pair jumped off of their team mate's shoulder as they approached, landing in front of the two genin and summon.

"Yamanaka-san, Nara-san, Akimichi-san. How nice of you to join us." Shino bowed slightly, his manners not leaving him despite the current state of things.

"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked, trying to keep the street in the corner of his eye.

"Jiraiya-san sent us when Shino's insects made contact with him. He's working on a snake problem right now." Chōza explained.

"Incidentally, we we're informed that Shikamaru and Chōji were with you two. Where are they?" Shikaku asked, glancing around for his son.

"They went off to capture the two Suna genin that were with Gaara." Shino informed. "They were heading toward the Hokage Monument when we last saw them."

Shikaku nodded before turning to his giant friend.

"Chōza, find them and make sure they're okay, we'll handle things here."

"Got it!" Chōza boomed, a grin present as he carefully began his short journey to the mountain.

"What's the situation here?" Inoichi asked, knowing Shikaku would come up with a great plan the more details he knew.

"Naruto and the toad…" Shino began.

"Gamasonshō." 'The toad' cut in.

"Right. Naruto and Gamasonshō here engaged the Suna genin Gaara who contains the One tailed beast known as Shukaku inside of him and has partially transformed into the beast. He has survived Naruto's last strike by retreating underground." Shino finished, Naruto and Gamasonshō nodding along to his information.

"And the 'Honourable Grandson'?" Inoichi pointed to the boy currently held in Shino's arms.

"A survivor of Gaara's attack on the Academy."

"Right. I think I have everything." Shikaku announced.

He opened his mouth to speak when the group all felt the building shake.

The ground around them cracked. Sections began rising while others fell, some crumbing away into the earth below.

The sound of several loud thuds greeted the groups ears.

Before any of them could react, five spikes of sand blew out the top floor roof.

"Everybody back!" Shikaku roared.

The entire roof broke free of it's support before the five darker tipped spikes bent and closed in, like a fist.

The sand exploded from the sheer force of the motion.

Shikaku and Shino with Konohamaru flew high through the air, the jōnin landing crouched on a building a few streets away while the bug user's back met with it's wall.

He clutched his package close as he fell to the hard ground with a thud on his back, protecting the 'honourable grandson'.

Shikaku watched as the building fell apart, the giant sand fist now retreating back into the ground.

"Kuso!" he spat, he didn't see the others jump anywhere.

* * *

The pressure returned to Naruto's body, feeling it compress him tighter.

Even with his new reflexes, he was too slow. The sand had got him again and this time it wasn't letting go.

This time, it really was the end.

He couldn't avenge Moegi, Udon or even the deadly headmistress of the academy.

"Wind Style: Air Wall!"

The sand cleared from his vision, Naruto could see it whipping around him.

"Wha…?" He turned his head, spotting Gamasonshō sitting in…mid-air with his legs folded over one another and his arms held out perfectly straight at his sides.

Inoichi was on the opposite side of the toad, looking just as confused as he did.

A drop of sweat rolled down Gamasonshō's head as his lips curled in frustration.

"Wind Style: Ram!" He called out, his legs reaching out to Inoichi and Naruto, wrapping over their backs and pulling them into his chest.

His hands flashed in front of him for barely a second before they shot forward.

The air dome that briefly surrounded them fell for just a moment before a huge blast of air crashed into the sand.

Gamasonshō's back hit the sand behind him.

He held his arms rigid as the wind forced him back.

Naruto could physically feel them moving, the tiny grains were definitely moving past him.

Gamasonshō finally reached the end as the group burst out of the sand.

Naruto's eyes took in everything they could as soon as more light returned.

Dark rocks surrounded the area, making up the walls and ceiling as far as he could tell with light shining down through holes and cracks as deep as they were.

Gamasonshō landed hard. His back taking the brunt of the fall as the trio slid along the hard rock, Naruto and Inoichi being released as they did.

A deep voice rang out, this time without any presence of another.

"…It seems I underestimated you…"

Naruto looked up and around, locating the source of the voice from where they had just been.

"…you are very good at amusing me…Uzumaki Naruto… I never thought you would bring this out of me!"

Naruto's eyes widened sharply as he stared into the face of the one tailed Shukaku, it's right arm held up with a toad-sized hole in the back of the hand.

Sand quickly replaced that lost.

"Urgh…" Gamasonshō stirred, putting all his effort into rolling over.

Naruto turned and saw his back.

Blood dripped down his side as his yellow robe fell to the floor.

Gamasonshō's back had been completely torn apart.

"Urgh…The cold air hurts my spine…" He complained.

Naruto gasped as he heard the sickening crack of bones popping as a tiny bit of white could be seen under the dripping blood and flesh.

"Gamasonshō!" Naruto crawled to his side as the toad pushed himself up.

"I think…it's time for me to go back kid. I can't help you anymore…"

"You gonna be alright sensei?" Naruto asked, concerned for his summon and teacher.

"You just focus on beating that guy…I know you can do it…" Gamasonshō said weakly, his eyes misting over before he burst into smoke, returning to his home.

"Naruto?" Inoichi raised his head, his own eyes watery from keeping out the sand.

"Yamanaka-san!" Naruto rushed to his side, helping him to his feet.

Inoichi stumbled as he put pressure on his right foot.

He just grit his teeth through the pain as he backed against the right wall.

'How in the hell are we going to make it out of this?'

"Just leave it to me sir…" Inoichi just stared at Naruto.

"You can read minds?" He asked, shocked.

"No, I can read facial expressions." Naruto replied.

"Just how do you think we can get out of this?" A genin and an injured jōnin. Despite Naruto's skill and what he carried himself, this was the end for them.

"Like I said, leave it to me!"

"Oh I don't think so…"

Naruto's ear's twitched at the sound of slithering sand.

He watched as sand engulfed the ground, walls and ceiling around the two of them. Inoichi gasped as the sand wrapped around his arms and chest.

The sand along the ground wrapped around Naruto's feet and made it's way higher.

"I won't kill you just yet…Uzumaki…I want to watch your pain as your friend is crushed, limb by limb…"

Naruto starred hard at the Shukaku replying in Gaara's voice.

"…**Kit**…"

'…I know…'

The sand finished wrapping around the both of them, leaving only their heads exposed.

"Sand Buri-"

"HAAAA!"

The sand exploded off of Naruto. His body tense as his red eyes darkened just a little.

The sand around his feet was pushed away from the sheer force of chakra expelled.

His body started to glow red as bubbles of red chakra began seeping out everywhere.

His canines sharpened as the bubbles rose around his head while his finger nails sharpened akin to claws.

It crawled over his arms and around his body till it reached his backside. A long thick length of chakra jutted out, forming a tail.

Inoichi looked on in shock as the sand around his body retreated as the power of Naruto's chakra washed over him.

"Th…Kyu…" Inoichi began.

"Don't worry Mr. Yamanaka…He's gonna wish he never came here." Naruto muttered back to his fellow Shinobi without turning.

Instead, his eyes focused on the giant sand demon in front of him

"This is between me and you Gaara!" He shouted. "It's time to end this!"

Naruto's ears picked up Gaara's chuckling.

"Interesting…finally, a true opponent worthy of my time…"

Naruto watched as the sand fell away from the Shukaku's forehead.

Gaara's own head and body rose from the sand, his head rising to meet Naruto eye to eye.

When Naruto did look into Gaara's eyes, he saw… nothing.

Nothing but white, his iris and everything inside it, gone.

"Before I destroy you, I'll show you the true power of the manifestation of the sand!"

Gaara's hands rose in front of him before he clasped them together in the ram hand sign.

Two voices told Naruto what to do next; one inside, one outside.

"**Don't let him** go to sleep!" The kyuubi and Inoichi shouted at Naruto.

Naruto's reflexes kicked in.

He crouched down onto all fours, shooting across the rocky, sandy floor toward the "genin".

Gaara's muscles relaxed as the jutsu was completed.

"Feigning Sleep Justu…"

Naruto's keen eyes watched as Gaara slumped over, catching sight of the sand head's actual eyes.

The iris' colour darkened, changing to a deeper yellow white the pupils swirled.

Naruto skidded to a halt, holding his ears as the giant amount of sand shifted as the now complete tailed beast's mouth opened.

"HIIIYAH! I'm finally free! Here I come baby!"

* * *

All over Konoha, the terrifying scream could be heard.

Sand and sound ninja's hopes rekindled, if only for a moment. The voice sounded clear but with the demon no where in sight, things didn't appear any better.

Leaf ninja redoubled their efforts to rid themselves of the invaders, now pushed back to the wall with only a few minor battles a little further in.

* * *

"**Damn it! Now this is gonna be even harder…**" The fox muttered in Naruto's head.

"You mean more than before?" Naruto muttered back, his ears ringing slightly.

"**Quite. Shukaku now has free reign over himself now whereas you can still only hold a fraction of my power.**"

Before the quick conversation could continue anymore, Shukaku interrupted.

"Here I come, baby!"

His stomach swelled up as he drew a massive amount of air inside.

"Wind Style: Air Bullets!" He shouted, bringing his left hand down into his gut, releasing a blast of air heading straight down the cave.

Thinking quickly, Naruto jumped straight up, just before he reached the middle of the cave, he rolled in mid air.

Just before the wind bullet approached, Naruto flicked his tail round, sending a blast of air right towards the much larger one.

The smaller gust pierced the larger one in the centre, cancelling a majority of the power.

The wind bullet was upon Naruto.

Instead of blasting him to shreds, the wind pulled him forward, toward Shukaku.

To Naruto, it felt like being pulled through mouse hole head first.

The squeezing stopped as Naruto emerged the other side, the blast mostly dissipating behind him as it collapsed in on itself.

Inoichi shuffled behind a large rock at the end of the cave as the air surrounded him, pelting the wall with loose rubble.

Naruto fell towards the ground, ready for his next move when Shukaku's right arm shot out toward him.

"Your mine!"

Naruto rolled forward, his chakra arms getting longer.

Before Shukaku's arm could reach him, Naruto completed his roll, his arms and claws landing in the and wrist.

The blonde jinchūriki retracted his arms, shooting between Shukaku's fingers before his hand closed in a tight and burial where he was a second ago.

Naruto landed on the sand and felt the chakra running through the arm, holding the sand together.

Using his claws to hold on, Naruto ran along Shukaku's arm, keeping his eyes on Shukaku's.

Shukaku's other arm had other ideas.

Naruto instinctively jumped as Shukaku's left fist slammed into his right forearm, taking a chunk out of it before slamming into the wall.

Naruto hit the ceiling on all fours, hanging on with chakra.

"HIIIYAAAH! I'll get you!"

Sand rushed along the wall toward Naruto, the force smoothing out the rock underneath.

Before it could reach him, Naruto pounced again, aiming directly at the other genin.

Underneath the red chakra cloak, Naruto's claws both glowed red, ready to strike a deadly blow.

He soared towards Gaara but, before he could stretch strike out…

"Wind Style: Air Stream!"

Shukaku's mouth opened in front of Naruto. Before he could react, a burst of air hit him dead on, sending him crashing back against the wall.

The air didn't let up this time.

The cloak shielded Naruto's eyes enough for him to just keep them open and watch as Shukaku pulled back his left arm again

"It's over!" Shukaku yelled striking forward.

"Mind Freeze Jutsu!"

The air holding Naruto in place stopped.

Naruto watched as Shukaku's head just remained in place, frozen.

Shukaku's arm never stopped moving though.

Slam!

His hand hit the wall hard.

"Naruto!" Inoichi called out, his hands still in the boar seal his jutsu finished with.

Shukaku's hand, no longer guided by force flopped to the ground revealing a large hole in the wall.

"Urgh…"

Inoichi tried to pierce the dust, he couldn't stop it in time.

"Urhhh…thanks old man…" Naruto's deeper voice called across the cave.

Inoichi couldn't see him, but Naruto was at the back of the hole, his clothes even worse for ware and his body bloody.

His arms and legs were crossed defensively in front of him, hiding his head and most of his torso, protecting them from the majority of the blow.

'If he hadn't stopped that jutsu, I would've been hit full force…' he thought, flexing his back to push him to the floor of the new hole.

He landed on his front, his limbs trying to help cushion the blow.

"HEEEERH? What the hell was that?" Shukaku roared, it's mind returning from the confusion jutsu.

Inoichi flinched, the tailed beast broke his jutsu that fast? He had less time than he thought.

"YOU!" Shukaku spotted him. "Now it's your turn!" It shouted with glee, it's right arm shooting out toward the jōnin.

"I said!…"

Four red lines sliced across Shukaku's extending arm.

The outstretched limb dropped in height.

Shukaku felt the pain moments later, yelling out as it's arm sand dropped toward the floor.

Inoichi braced himself as the hand neared, only to see the fingers and palm hit the ground, skidding across the earth before stopping just in front of him.

He watched as the sand "melted" off of itself before forming a giant, shapeless line across the cave.

Shukaku looked across to where the start of the line began. Just in front of it stood Naruto, red chakra bubbling angrily around him.

"…this is between me and you!" Naruto finished, his voice rising as he said the last of the sentence.

Shukaku glared angrily down at the boy who took off one of his arms single hand idly.

"You think I'm down yet, think again!" it shouted back proudly, it's eyes narrowing even more.

Naruto felt the strain on his body. He couldn't hold this form much longer. Anymore damage and he could really be down.

'Oi fox…I'm going up a level…'

The giant, nine tailed fox inside Naruto actually flinched at this news.

"**You know you won't be able to handle that!**" It yelled angrily at him.

'I have to…to protect everyone…' Naruto think-panted. If he was panting in his mind, then his outside definitely had some problems.

"**Eh?…Wha-where did this come from?**"

'Just…something Haku said to me…a while back now…' Naruto's memory briefly flicked back to the land of waves. 'I can't let this guy…get anywhere near anyone else…I will…protect them with everything I have.' His mind now flicking back to his friends: Iruka, the third, Sakura, Kakashi, Shino, Hinata, Tenten, Shikamaru, Chōji, Zabuza, Haku and all the other friends he'd made since becoming a genin.

The fox pondered deeply for a moment before letting darker chakra flow out from the bars.

"…**If you kill us, there'll be hell to pay…**"

'Don't worry…' Naruto smiled, 'I won't lose!'

Shukaku's eyes widened as the chakra around Naruto gained strength, blowing away a large chunk of what used to be his arm sand.

The chakra around Naruto grew shallower, closing in on his body before darkening, turning a deeper red and even black as the chakra rushed over and around his body.

All that looked like Naruto was lost into an outline of himself, his spiky hair the only thing that gave him away.

Shukaku regained it's focus as the shock vanished from his mind.

"DIE!" He shouted, his left, good arm swinging down where Naruto stood.

Naruto crouched once again.

Before the sand fist had even reached halfway between it's beginning and destination, Naruto pouched, shooting up at the fist himself.

"Eh?" Shukaku could only watch as a forward rolling Naruto slammed head on with his fist.

The sand exploded as Shukaku roared in pain again. His entire left hand was now flying in the air in billions of sand particles.

Naruto had flown straight at his hand and released a powerful burst of wind at the last second, blasting straight through the sand before releasing another wave of wind all around him, essentially "blowing up" the appendage.

"How the hell can he do this?" Shukaku roared.

He suddenly spotted a red and black figure on the move again, bouncing off the ceiling straight towards him.

With a great deal of effort and chakra, Shukaku repositioned his tail from his back to his head, using the momentum to strike down at the same time.

His tail raked the roof before intercepting the figure.

It was a hit.

His tail continued downwards before slamming into the ground.

"That's it! Game over for you baby!" He yelled triumphantly.

Inoichi had shifted his position, away from the fallen arm to see the ground explode from the force of the blow.

He watched in disbelief as the dust settled to see a tailed black and red figure underneath the tail standing upright holding the tail back with both hands.

"Na…Naruto?"

With the momentum gone, Naruto pulled back his left hand with a bright red ball glowing in his palm.

"Huh?" Shukaku looked down, feeling his tail still gripped by something.

Naruto crouched, pulling the tail down with his remaining hand and pushing up with the other.

The glowing ball met the tail, sinking into it for a brief second before…

Boom!

What was directly above the ball within a five-foot radius exploded, sending half the tail clattering to the ground.

Shukaku could only looked down in shock as the black and red figure crouched once again, growling deeply.

"No! You can't send me…!"

Naruto shot up once again, this time, aiming directly for Gaara.

Shukaku's head sand rose up slightly to defend his medium but to no avail.

Naruto shot past Shukaku's face, his fist pulled back before it slammed into Gaara's chest.

The boy's mouth opened in pain, his pupil-less eyes wide.

Shukaku roared in horror, letting out one final line.

"RAAARRHHH NO I JUST GOT HERE!…"

His eyes dimmed to a weaker yellow as Gaara's light green returned.

* * *

All seemed slow for a moment as Gaara's lower torso and legs became visible, rising out of the sand, his face stuck between shock and pain.

Shukaku's entire body cracked the moment his eyes dulled, the more Gaara's body rising out from him, the more cracks appearing until both his feet left and the huge mound of sand collapsed.

Naruto's rising punch had a huge amount of momentum. The punch slowed him down but ultimately, only took Gaara with him.

With Gaara free, the pair shot up into the air, soaring straight through a long, tall crack in the ceiling until light and fresh air covered them as they soared out into the street and clear across Konoha.

Naruto winced in pain, he curled into a ball, his tail wrapping around him while Gaara flew beside him.

"Uraaahhh…th…pain…" Naruto muttered, bracing his body as much as he could as the dark red and black chakra peeled itself off his body slowly.

The two had gained enough height and had enough speed to shoot over the west Konoha wall, flying over the forest before falling, slamming into tree branches.

The branche raked over their bodies before the duo hit the dirt, rolling until they stopped, neither able to make an effort to protect themselves anymore than their bodies would allow.

Luckily, they had rolled into a small clearing, soft grass had taken some of the brunt of rolling as the two slowed to a stop, both breathing heavily.

Naruto lay on his back, his eyes closed in pain as the last of the Kyūbi's chakra receded into his body, his skin now a few shades light than blood red.

Gaara had also landed on his back, a bit further away from Naruto.

His hand twitched lightly, his fingers balling into a fist.

'I will not disappear, I will not cease to exist, I won't!…'

Both he and Naruto's need for air proved greater than their lungs could handle and both began a short coughing fit.

When Naruto finished, his breathing a little more regular, he turned his head towards Gaara as did Gaara's towards his.

Naruto's deep blue eyes gazed into Gaara's light green.

Naruto closed his eyes, forcing the extra energy into his limbs.

His hand twitched before his other body parts began to move.

"No…stay away…!" Gaara groaned out, trying to move his own body with less luck.

Naruto's body rolled over onto his side before onto his stomach, his breathing deeper again.

"You know…it's…funny…" Naruto muttered.

Gaara's brain set aside it's distress for intrigue for a second.

"You and I…we're the same…"

Gaara's eyes widened.

"You… have the same eyes… I had…"

Naruto lifted his head, putting his hand on the floor next to his face to raise his body up a little despite the pain from the contact.

The blonde jinchūriki looked over at the red haired jinchūriki once again, his blue eyes sparkling with a bloody smile on his face.

"My village hated me…and I couldn't understand why…" Naruto continued, his other hand joining the first in holding him up.

Gaara's mind cast itself back to when he was younger, when he had the exact same feelings.

"I was alone… nobody wanted me…that is…until Iruka-sensei…"

The red head watched as Naruto's foot struggled to gain ground.

"He…and the friends I made…helped me…they saved me…helping me through the dark…lonely times…"

Gaara's mind flashed back to Yashamaru, the only person he truly liked before.

"They stuck by me…helped me see the joy in life…why I should exist."

This word brought Gaara back to the present.

"Because of them…I had friends… for the first time in my life…I was truly happy."

Naruto's other foot now sought it's ground, making him look ready to pounce.

Gaara flinched at Naruto words and actions, watching his movements carefully.

"It's because of those friends…that I work hard…to defend my village…from people like you!" Naruto finished his words strong, pushing up with his arms until he was standing up right.

Gaara's distress now returning, his opponent could move and he was defenceless.

"For what my friends have done…I would give every breath in my body…to defend them at any cost!" Naruto finished, his words slamming into Gaara hard.

'Is this…what makes him so strong?…Is this…what love really is?…'

Naruto's body wobbled, his strength was fading…

'Three days and nights my rear!…' he thought.

Naruto's foot moved back instinctively, his body moving with it until his back was against a tree.

His strength gave out as his body slipped down into a loose sitting position, his eyes still on Gaara.

"I won't… let anyone harm my friends…" he muttered feeling a warm feeling rush through him and not just from using too much chakra.

* * *

The pair jut sat/lay there for a few moments. Just watching each other.

"Gaara!" A pair of voices called out, landing in front of him.

Naruto watched as a battle worn Temari and Kankurō knelt beside their brother, both without their signature weapons.

"That's enough…It's over…" Gaara breathed out.

"Gaara…are you ok?" Kankurō asked quietly, an emotion born of fear and worry flowing through the puppet master.

"I will be…" He muttered again, "…once I find some…friends…"

Both Temari and Kankurō looked at each other in surprise, wondering if he even knew what the word meant.

Confirming their brother alive, their instincts told them another was near.

"Heh…" Naurto chuckled at the sight before him, his eyes growing heavy.

"You…" Kankurō looked over at Naruto, torn between being grateful for his past actions and aggressive because of the mission.

"What?" Temari turned, reaching for her non-existent fan.

A hand gripped her wrist loosely.

Her eyes widened as she looked back and down at her little brother.

"No more…" he muttered, looking her in the eyes.

Confusion clouded Temari's mind.

'That wasn't the same pair of eyes he had before. These were…warmer…'

"We're pulling back…" Gaara muttered again.

Kankurō looked down at his brother, confused himself.

"A…Alright Gaara." Kankurō resigned, carefully lifting his brother up, proping an arm around his shoulders.

Just before he and his sister jumped away, Gaara spoke again.

"Thank you…Naruto Uzumaki…"

A few seconds later, the trio had vanished, jumping up into the trees and away from the village.

Naruto's eyes followed them as they left, a small smile present on his face.

His eyes soon closed as all his strength left him, his last thought was of the familiar sound of wooden sandals approaching.

* * *

The Konoha shinobi voiced their cheer when the invading forces were all pushed completely out of the village. Many were watching as the invaders fled, the giant summon defeated by the legendary Jiraiya, others sported smiles as they quickly worked to heal or help the injured while few looked down at the fallen warriors with sadness.

While so many were looking outward, a few noticed the small ground of ninja jumping through a hole and out into the surrounding forest.

Five in total were in said group, two members were holding up a third, his hair and face ragged and his arms a deep grey with a hint of purple.

The frail looking figure muttered something as he passed out the wall and into the forest only his group would hear;

"Damn you Sarutobi…"

* * *

Word spread quickly and any cheers around the village were quickly put out.

The death toll wasn't what silenced the leaf ninja; it was that a certain person hadn't survived the battle.

The Third Hokage was dead…

* * *

A/N: Urgh, I know I have been really late with this chapter guys. If you are still reading this thank you very much for sticking with me for over 3 months for this chapter to be released, several bouts of writers block, other projects and bad school teachers helped slow me down as well as three different blasts of writer's block, Urgh!

A few notes here and there, if anyone wants to get a little more detail about the look of Naruto's attacks, think Benihime, Urahara's Zanpakutou from "Bleach". The red strikes are similar to that, not the powers if anyone is thinking that.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to stick with me till I finish this story, I'm not sure whether I should have this story end in the next few chapters to make way for the next plot arc in the sequel story or to keep it as one long fic.

There's only one way to find out; VOTE!

Yes I will have a vote on my profile so take a gander at it.

One thing I must mention here; one of my projects that me and a few friends have been working on is a new radio website! Yes, you can hear me, DJ MasterM along with my other DJs over on

Www **dot** Music-sense **dot** co **dot** uk

Check it out if you have the time, one of us is usually online at 8 (British time) every night.

Anyway, time to wrap this up, keep reading!


	16. Chapter 16

**The New Naruto**

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

* * *

**Chapter 16 - Aftermath  
**

Naruto lay slumped against the tree as the sand trio took off for their village, much like the rest of the ninja that tried to break Konoha's barriers.

A minute later, a red, green and white figure dropped out of the trees, his back to Naruto.

"…He let them go huh…hmmm…" Jiraiya gazed ahead, his trained ears picking up their sounds as they fled.

He turned towards the lumped red, orange and black genin, looking down at the damage he took.

"…to be able to control the Kyūbi's chakra that well at this stage…" He murmured again.

He swiftly plucked the boy up and tucked him under his arm.

"I just hope it's still him in control…"

Without another word, Jiraiya leapt through the thick brush into the sky, bouncing along the top branches toward the hospital.

* * *

The last of the sound high tailed it from the walls. The leaf, still standing proudly, watching them flee.

Many remain at the walls to guard the village from a possible strike back while others either barked orders or ran around helping the injured.

Nearly all of the civilians watched from peep holes in the Hokage Mountain caves.

It was dusk before the all clear came in the form of a single ninja to each of the entrance boxes.

As the civilians filed out, three just looked down into the village, watching the smoke begin to dissipate and the ninja move like a flea circus.

These three were Fūdo Koibito, Teuchi and his daughter Ayame.

"Do you think our stuff survived?" Koibito asked, looking at an expressionless Teuchi.

The ramen seller gave out a long sigh after trying hopelessly to spot even a flash of orange that wasn't fire.

"All I care about is whether my best customer survived…"

Ayame rested a hand on her father's shoulder.

"I'm sure he did dad…Naruto never gives up after all…" The older men turned to face her, "…besides…he still has that ramen coupon to spend remember? He wouldn't leave us before using that." She smiled weakly.

Teuchi let out a large laugh while Koibito chuckled.

"Yea, little squirt would never give that up would he." The old ramen maker smiled, patting his daughter's head.

"Your Naruto's a lot like my Anko. I've never met anyone who could put away a hundred of my dango. Special recipe too." Koibito chuckled.

The three turned from the sightseeing walking back down the narrow path, back to their businesses.

* * *

"Get a stretcher over here!" Kotetsu yelled out after pushing aside a large chunk of, what used to be, ceiling. The white transport arrived, carried by Izumo as he laid it down next to the injured Hyūga member. The pair quickly lifted the unconscious man onto the stretcher.

"…hel…"

Kotetsu turned back to the ruins of what was a building.

"Oi, there's still someone in there!" He called out, hoping to grab some extra attention.

Izumo quickly looked down at the Hyūga.

"Kotetsu, we need to get this guy some help, he's bleeding out fast."

"Damn it." Kotetsu cursed. This day was full of pain and misery that wouldn't stop even after the enemy had fled.

A figure was running along the roofs on the opposite side of the street.

"Oi kid!" Izumo yelled.

The figure stopped, looked down at the situation before swiftly dropping to the ground.

"H-how can I help." He asked, his nerves kicking in as the adrenaline fled from his system.

"What's you name, get this guy to the hospital quick and send someone out this way, we need more support if others are trapped." Kotetsu ordered.

"Y-yes sir!" He nodded, picking up the back end of the stretcher as Izumo took the front.

The stretcher rose slowly before the duo set off at a swift pace up the street.

The chūnin looked down at the Hyūga member he was carrying, his branch member mark visible with his headband missing. It was the same one that had worked with him on the entrance gate.

Tsuchi Brock never forgot the tongue lashing the Hyūga received from Lord Jiraiya that one day. He remembered how good it felt to see the proud Hyūga taken down a peg.

He looked down into his face.

Now, he felt nothing but sadness for this man, just another victim of this needless violence…

* * *

The clean up carried on through the night.

The sound of stone being heaved around and ninja's near silent footsteps as they carried out whatever they could to help everyone could be heard around the village.

Just when a few people had though the worst it was over, a massive crash echoed around the village.

Those that had managed to find sweet slumber were woken abruptly as a chunk of the village disappeared into the night.

No rest for the ninja as light tags lit up the area.

A good portion of the north western village had sunk into the very earth itself.

A great panic spread out among the civilians who could see the area affected. This was quickly calmed by ANBU. Around the area that had collapsed, a giant red rope had been erected through the streets that now looked like a barrier keeping people from stepping into a giant sink hole.

Thanks to a tip from a certain Yamanaka, all people in that district had been relocated temporarily until the situation could be confirmed.

With the earth unable to hold itself up, the section collapsed, flooding the cave that the one tailed Shukaku had created not hours before.

The full extent of the damage couldn't be seen until next morning.

With earth jutsu users busy clearing the stable parts of the village, no support had been made to hold up the buildings.

Houses and businesses could be rebuilt, an injured child being crushed beneath rubble could not.

Thankfully, there were no more surprises for the Hidden Leaf for the rest of the clear up.

* * *

Days past without incident with ninja across the village running on will power and solider pills alone before anyone could relax.

* * *

One week had past before a certain knucklehead stirred and began to wake.

"…urgh…what…I have…" He muttered.

The sound of a door opening and closing could be heard.

An eye opened slowly as the artificial light tried to pierce his vision.

The door opened again followed by footsteps as a shadow now fell over his vision.

"Honourable Grandson…can you hear me?" A tall figure softly said.

"Who…Whe…Where am…" Konohamaru said slowly, trying to open his eyes wider.

"Honourable Grandson! You have returned to us!" a different voice perked up, more annoying and recognisable than the last.

"Ebisu…sensei?"

Blurry shapes began focussing themselves into human and furniture form, particularly one annoying sensei, a stunned doctor and a chair half embed in the wall.

"Wha's going on?" Konohamaru murmured, his limbs feeling like one of Naruto's training sessions times a hundred.

"You're in the hospital Konohamaru-san. The hidden leaf was attacked and you suffered a few injuries." The doctor spoke up, annoyed the overly worried sensei had used up his tolerance of annoying visitors for the day.

Lifting his head from the pillow slowly, Konohamaru looked down at his body. His arms rested in two slings, one for each section of the arm either side.

"…Ah…Argh! What the hell!" Konohamaru's voice rose dramatically. "What happened to my arms!"

Ebisu took a step back from the bed at this point and the doctor saw fit to tell him bluntly.

"For getting a few minor scrapes and cuts, your "sensei" here saw fit to recommend we keep your wounds away from everything else possible until they, and yourself, were fully healed."

Konohamaru's blood slowed as he made out what the doctor was saying. He simply lifted his right arm and felt no pain what so ever. Doing the same with the other one he examined his hands and arms carefully before turning toward Ebisu.

"What the hell were you trying to do? Scare me to death as soon as I healed?" Hurling the table side lamp at the special-jōnin as more proof he was absolutely fine.

Ebisu backed against the wall, almost sitting in the chair still stuck in there.

"Uh…well you see…it was all to keep your dream of Hokage still alive. Should your arms be damaged, it would be near impossible for you to become Hokage…"

Before Konohamaru could let out his further frustrations on his irritating teacher, the door to the room burst open.

"Konohamaru!" Twin voices cried out.

The three occupants turned to face the newcomers.

Udon and Moegi were standing in the door frame, both looking up at their friend and leader.

Moegi made the first move, dashing to his bedside and getting a bit too close to his face.

"Thank kami you're awake!" She sprang to his side quickly.

"Gah, Moegi, not so fast!" He jumped at her speed.

"Yea Moegi, the last thing you need to do right now is scare him to death." Udon interjected, walking over to complete the trio.

"Speaking of which…" Konohamaru turned back to his sensei who was trying to sneak out through the window much too slowly.

"Where do you think you're going!"

"Erh…off-to-report-your-good-health-to-the-people-bye!"

All that was left was a smoky outline of the special-jōnin as he fled from the awkward situation.

"What was that about?" Moegi asked.

"I'll tell ya later." Konohamaru brushed aside as he moved to slip out of bed.

"If you would not mind Konohamaru-san, I would just like to do some routine checks before you leave. Nothing major, it's just to check if everything works all right after everything."

"Oh…sure doc." Konohamaru replied, slipping back onto the middle, warmest part of the bed.

As the doctor brought his stethoscope to his ears to begin, Konohamaru asked a question that had been bugging him for a while now.

"Ok, what's with the chair?"

Moegi and Udon looked over at the chair before turning away in embarrassment, partly due to the chair, partly due to Konohamaru's now exposed abdomen.

"Guys? Ahhh!" The stethoscope was applied to his chest.

"Well…Ebisu-sensei was ordering all these tests to make sure you were ok and everything…" Moegi began.

"Everyone was running about, trying to help everyone that was hurt and he demanded the best doctors focus on you."

"That doesn't explain the chair."

"Well…that was Udon's doing…" Moegi looked at her team mate mischief, half proud, half smug and with a touch of adoration in her eyes.

"What happened?"

"One of the nurses dropped your I.V. bag and quickly bent over to pick it up…" She continued. "Ebisu-sensei then stopped barking orders and try to…*gulp* take a situation into his own hands…"

"He didn't…"

"He tried, Udon saw this and it kinda set him off." Udon looked away at this point, trying to hide from the next words.

"He picked up the chair he was sitting on and hurled it at Ebisu"

Konohamaru looked over at Udon, then to the chair before back to Udon. It was more than just embed into the wall, it was damn near all the way through.

Moegi continued while his brain processed this info.

"Unfortunately he got his hand away at the last second. Then Udon shouted at him, telling him how he should, "do his duty and stop wasting time with perverted urges and over-complicating a 'booboo'." The doctors had already told him you only had some minor bruises and cuts but he demanded that at least three doctors remain at your side until you were awake. Udon told him that as Hokage, you wouldn't care for your own health if more people could be saved with your last ounce of strength and that he should act the same."

Konohamaru just looked up at his male companion in awe. It was without doubt the single bravest and most loyal act he'd ever seen or heard of and it was only in duty to him and his dream.

"He uh… kinda left quickly after that." Udon finished the story.

"Yea, Udon was so brave standing up to Ebisu-sensei like that."

"…Wow…erh…Thanks buddy." Was all Konohamaru could get out.

The awkwardness settled in for a minute before the doctor finished his scan and deemed the boy fit to leave.

The trio quickly left when the boy was ready, walking slowly toward the hospital exit.

"So…what really happened then, I know it wasn't just a drill." He asked, talking about the event which put him in the hospital in the first place.

"We were ambushed, the whole village was attacked during the chūnin exams by the hidden sand and hidden sound."

"What?" Konohamaru stopped suddenly. "Is everyone else alright?"

Once again, both Udon and Meogi avoided the boy's gaze, solemn looks on their faces.

"Come on guys, what's happened!" Konohamaru almost shouted.

Meogi was the first to look at him again,

"It's about your grandfather Konohamaru…"

* * *

A short distance away, a few floors back up but lower than our first patient lies another knuckle head, the one people are eager to see and hear again.

Naurto's breathing increased, his blood pressure rose and his heart rate sped up.

Several visitors present in the boy's room looked up, checking between the machines and the blonde eagerly.

"…Naruto?…" He heard a faint voice call out.

* * *

In the boy's mindscape, he could hear the sounds, almost watching them as they passed him through the corridor.

"Come on! Nearly there!" He pushed himself, tracing the sounds back.

At last, he found it.

At the end of this last dank corridor shone a bright white light.

"…waking up?" He saw the words pass him again, definitely coming from the light.

Determination on his face, he sprinted toward the light, wishing this "nightmare" to be over.

* * *

"…Naruto?"

The blond's eyes shot open.

The people in the room jumped as he sat up in an instant, his breathing fast and laboured.

"What the-" he began, only to have the wind knocked out of him when something slammed into his chest.

"Not awake for five seconds and you take him out again." A deep, gruff voice called out. One that Naruto recognised.

"Za…buza?"

"In the flesh kid."

Naruto could hear the man, but couldn't see him through the two mounds on top of him. One in black, and one in brown with two smaller buns above.

He reached his hands up, trying to get whatever was holding him down away from him, or at least find out what they were.

He put his hands on the top of the mounds, ready to pull them away when they pulled back themselves.

"Tenten? Haku?"

"You had us worried sick!" Both girls chorused.

Naruto's eyes adjusted to their features before zooming past them, looking for Zabuza.

"Shikamaru? Chōji? What are you guys doing here?" He moaned, his arms behind his back, supporting his weight as he sat up.

"It's because one of these days you're gonna push yourself too hard and end up in this bed permanently." Shikamaru called over as he moved his rook on the small shogi board he and Chōji had between them.

"Heh, with the way you go Naruto, we're surprised you're as up as early as you are now." Chōji continued, one hands moving his queen, the other round an energy bar.

"Huh? How long have I been out?"

"About two days now Naruto." Tenten said, tilting her head slightly, wondering if she had her dates correct.

Naruto quickly took this time to look around the room: Zabuza was indeed there, just hidden behind the plant leaning against the wall, Tenten and Haku were on either side of his bed, Shikamaru and Chōji were playing shogi in the corner and finally…

The door to the room squeaked open as everyone turned to face the new arrivals.

"Any change?" Iruka called out whilst holding two cups of coffee.

"Yea, the brat's awake." Zabuza said as the door stopped less than an inch away before his face as it hit the buffer.

He liked this area.

"What?" Iruka quickly closed the door and looked right at the blond he'd bonded with over the years.

"Naruto! What did I tell you about fighting alone!" He shouted immediately, his head appearing to get bigger with every syllable.

Zabuza's hand shot out and pilfered his coffee before Iruka got any louder.

"Great(!) the first thing I hear when I wake up is a lecture. Thanks for the vote of sympathy Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted back, his eyes narrowing as Iruka's head reached it's usual size before surpassing it.

"Sympathy? I'll show you sympathy!" Iruka started, trying to roll up one of his sleeves with the coffee hand.

"Come on then sensei! I took Gaara out I'm sure I can beat you now!" Naruto brought his own hands up, trying to form fists and keep himself balanced which was kinda awkward in his position.

"You little brat! You're a million years to early to defeat a master like me!" Iruka shot back, his sleeves finally rolled and his face right in Naruto's.

"I think what Iruka is trying to say is he's glad you are awake, Naruto." A quiet voice called out.

Everyone's eyes turned from the display to focus on the half masked figure in the corner.

"Shino! You're in one piece!" Naruto yelled out, his voice changing from mock-anger to happy in a heartbeat.

"I am… thank you from your concern Naruto." Shino replied simply in his usual monotone voice. "See Iruka-sensei, it isn't hard to display your true emotions…"

'That was 'emotional' Shino?' Everybody thought, giant sweat drops appearing.

Iruka's eye twitched in annoyance at the second one of his former students to annoy him that day.

"When did you get here?" Tenten asked, wondering how he got in without anyone noticing any movement.

Shino's body stance shifted. Somehow, you could tell he was now sweat dropping behind his overcoat.

"I came in with Iruka-sensei…"

Tenten blushed lightly and turned away in embarrassment. They may not be great friends, but at least you should notice when someone enters a room.

Naruto's laughing pierced the awkward silence that followed.

"Classic Shino."

Now all the funny looks were on him.

"Game over." Shikamaru stated as he trapped Chōji's pieces in one of his strategies.

"To answer your earlier question Naruto, me and Chōji are here to deliver a message from our fathers."

"Eh? What do they want me for?" Naruto asked, cutting Shikamaru off as he opened his mouth.

"If you just listened I could tell you." the lazy genius sighed, snapping the little board shut and tucking it away in his pouch.

"Our fathers want to talk to you about something you did during the invasion, that's all they told us." Chōji continued for his friend.

"Oh…any idea…"

"And no, we don't know anything more" Shikamaru cut across to answer Naruto's unasked question, ending with a; "troublesome…"

"…right, sure thing then guys!" Naruto's voice returned to it's normal volume as his grin was pasted across his face.

"Anyway, we can get out of here now, c'mon Chōji." Shikamaru motioned to his friend to lead the way.

The duo opened the door and left. Before Naruto's thoughts could dwell on whether or not they were there because they had to be, his keen ears picked up a last drop of conversation.

"…always interesting." Shikamaru said, his light chuckle floating back down the hall.

His grin shifted closer to his real smile as he eyed his remaining guests.

"So…who's gonna tell me when I can get out of here?"

Zabuza chuckled lightly, crushing the now empty cup in his hand and tossing it into the bin across the room.

"We should head off too Iruka, the boy will be doing a lot of waiting before **he's** getting out of here."

"What?" Naruto yelled out.

* * *

As Shikamaru and Chōji left the building, they heard Naruto's voice echo past them and out into the village.

The duo chuckled at their own knowledge of the subject.

* * *

"It's only to make sure you get back to full strength Naruto." Iruka waved his arms, trying to calm the fuming genin.

"I am at full strength, watch me beat you both with my hands behind my back!" He yelled out.

"Doctor's orders, not mine." Iruka reasoned, knowing the shouting match that would erupt, he took it as his cue to leave.

"Glad to see you're energy back at any right Naruto. I'll check back later." the chūnin called back as he shut the door behind Zabuza and himself.

A faint thump could be heard as Naruto hurled his pillow at the door to vent his anger.

"Grrrr Iruka-baka" he muttered.

"Ease up on him Naruto, he cares about your wellbeing is all." Haku tried to reason with him.

Much to their surprise, Naruto just let out a deep breath followed by another grin.

"Yea, but it's his way of winding me up. He always does it."

Tenten and Haku breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that boy's don't always display clear emotions or messages helped them understand a little of what Naruto was like with his closest friend.

"So what did I miss?"

* * *

Outside the blond's window sat a purple headed figure.

With her back and feet stuck to the wall with chakra, Anko smiled after confirming the little gaki had woken up safe and sound.

Her smile faded slightly as the three apologized, telling him they felt it best he rest before Iruka comes back to tell him before leaping off to her next duty.

She didn't mind checking up on the brat, especially since he still owe her that ramen contest…

The day was beginning to draw to a close and the sun began setting along the bumped and scratched wall of Konoha.

The last rays of sunlight fell upon a trio talking atop the Hokage's residence.

"Alright, what do you two scholarly"advisors" want from me?" Jiraiya's voice asked gruffly.

The male of the two advisors spoke up first.

"You know perfectly well why we called you here…"

"Listen, if we are going to discuss politics again, I'm just not up for that today." Jiraiya held his hands up in an "whatever" pose, "From what I hear, the sand village surrendered to us completely. As soon as the village can support itself again…literally…I'm outta here."

"That is not the case Jiraiya." Koharu spoke up.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, sending a glare at his sensei's former team mates.

"Oh, then please enlighten me to the situation." He mocked.

Homura pressed on without missing a beat.

"While the sand village is completely out of action for the time being, they have pinned the blame squarely on Orochimaru, manipulating them from the shadows."

"No doubt they have the Kazekage's corpse to prove it." Jiraiya cut in.

"Indeed, but this doesn't count one of the surrounding nations possibly making an attempt for our village. With our defences battered, it's only a matter of time before someone sends a force knocking."

Jiraiya's thoughts turned sour as Koharu continued.

"We need a strong leader to guide the village through these troubled times. An emergency council was called with the Lord of the "Land of Fire", we chose you to be the next to take up the hat as Hokage.

Jiraiya flinched at those words. His sensei's death was too fresh for everyone bar these heartless ex-shinobi.

"Tsh, for some reason, that just doesn't sound appealing to me right now, please try again never." He sniped.

"Something you would like to inform us of Jiraiya?" Homura asked, sensing the lone Sannin was hiding something.

"With my last two missions from Sarutobi still standing, there is no way I can stay here until I complete them."

"Oh, and this makes you unsuitable for the position?"

"With these lifelong missions, yes, it does."

Koharu and Homura locked eyes for a second, both their age-old minds trying to find a solution to the village's problem.

"There is one other who could take up the position." Jiraiya said calmly.

"You mean…"

"Yes…Tsunade."

"But she hasn't returned to the village since…"

"I am well aware of her situation Homura." Jiraiya cut across. "But with her mind and body, she can lead the village back to it's prime." Surprisingly, not even a hint of red appeared on the sannin's face at the mention of his team mate's body.

"What makes you so sure of this?"

"Oh I know Tsunade, she can never resist a good wager…"

* * *

The sun set once more on the troubled village before rising again in the east.

Long shadows were cast against chunks of walls and buildings that had otherwise barely felt the warmth of an early morning sunrise.

A surprising amount of rubble had been scattered in the night, with most roads now blocking carts and other wheeled vehicles getting through should they try. The now fully scattered buildings though looked full of destruction and death, only spoke of hope now.

All possible survivors had been saved.

With more people now coming out of the hospital than going in, focus could now begin on the village's defences and restoration. Since the restoration could be done at a later date, most of Konoha's jōnin and chūnin were standing guard, waiting for others to heal.

Speaking of patients coming out…

"Maaaaaan it's good to be free!" Naruto shouted, letting the whole village know he was released bright and early. Since he was a patient within the last twenty four hours, the doctors told him not to assist with the reparations of the village.

"First back to mine for some ramen, then to the old man's for a mission!" He shouted, a little quieter but since loud for a normal villager as he eagerly counted the steps back to his apartment.

"Wow…I've been out three days now…That means I'll have four times breakfast, lunch and dinner waiting for me!" Naruto grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Any minute now I'll be-WOAH!"

His mind raced as his stomach held him back. With wide eyes, he stared into the crumbled abyss that was his block…and at least five others surrounding it sitting in a giant sinkhole.

His hands grabbed at his belly and felt the weird sensation of fuzz as he pushed himself back.

He whirled around, finding himself standing on a small ledge that jutted a good buildings length into the sink hole surrounded by a thick red rope.

"Wha-What the hell's going on here?" He yelled out, looking around for any explanation. "Wha…Where's my house?"

"**mmm…Gaara did it…mmm"**

'Ni? What the hell do you mean Gaara did it?' Naruto yelled at the fox in his mind.

A sleeping Kyūbi pulled his tails round him tighter and slammed his giant paws into his ears.

"**Geez keep it down…even when I'm trapped inside you I barely get a minutes peace."**

'Explain where the hell my house is and what Gaara has to do with it!'

The Kyūbi yawned deeply, it's jaw retracting back slightly, showing his sharp teeth off, not that Naruto could see.

"**Urgh, when you fought him underground…you fought him under what you can see now. He wasn't exactly the type to put up support before 'inviting' you down for tea."**

'…so then…'

"**Yep…no more ramen." **The fox chuckled as it turned over to sleep once again,** '…and no more horrible jumpsuits.'**

Naruto just walked back up to the edge of the crater, holding onto the red rope as though in dazed trance.

"…my…ramen…"

A small gust of wind swept dust over the scene before him, blowing his golden locks across his eyes as he stared at the destruction.

In a flash his mind was made up.

The rope flicked up as he ducked under and shot into the open air.

"I'm coming my 'preciouses'!" He shouted in a strange raspy voice and a crazed look in his eye.

"Get him!" A voice called out from behind the young ramen hunter.

He turned in mid air only to be glomped by a giant pink…thing. It curled around him, pushing his legs and arms into his body as he became trapped.

"No! I needs my 'preciouses'!" He scratched at his pink prison.

"Argh, damn it Inoichi, this kid scratches."

As soon as he had been captured, Naruto was freed onto the cold hard ground.

"Umpf, hey! What's your problem!…" Naruto began, his voice returning to it's usual tone.

As he looked up, he saw the smirking faces of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Well, two smirking faces and one slightly annoyed face.

"Damn it kid, you didn't have to scratch you know!" Chōza Akamichi whimpered as he nursed his shrinking giant hand.

"Hey, go easy on the lad, he did lose his house down there." Inoichi chuckled.

"…and my ramen…" Naruto muttered. While he seemed calm on the outside, his mind was recalling just who these people were, the blond especially.

He had seen him tap into the Kyūbi's power, what were they going to do next…?

"Heh, don't worry about that kid, we got plenty of that back at my place." Chōza boasted, "My wife cooks up a storm when we have guests."

"Huh? What are you talking about Akamichi-san?" Naruto asked, genuinely wondering what these three clan heads found so funny, especially since they all probably knew about the Kyūbi by now.

"Since your place was destroyed in the battle, you have no where to live." Shikaku began bluntly.

"You could either live with the others in the temporary tents…" Inoichi continued.

"Or you could live with me until we've built your new place." Chōza finished.

"Eh? What new place?" Naruto asked immediately, just what was going on here?

"Well you don't expect to live with me forever do you?" Chōza laughed.

Shikaku could see the confusion in the boy's face and decided to cut to the point as usual.

"We're relocating you with the money Inoichi won from your fight."

"Money? Fight?" Naruto was now getting a headache from all this information, his lack of house and lack of ramen.

"Inoichi put a good chunk of money on you to win your fight during the chūnin exams. With your odds, he was up a small fortune."

"So I talked it over with the brains and the body here," Inoichi gestured to his cohorts, "And we decided that since you earned the money, it should be yours to spend."

"Not on ramen though." Chōza ended, a small smirk still on his face.

Naruto didn't know what to say, with everything that's happened already, he knew he could only do one thing.

The blond stood up straight and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your generosity Yamanaka-san…but I must respectfully decline."

Now it was one thing to stun Chōza with unpredictability, but even Shikaku was at a loss for words this time.

"Wha-what do you mean you decline?" Chōza gaped, "This is a gift from the head of the Yamanaka clan to you, after you saved his life no less."

"I am sorry, but that is your money to help your own clan in this time of need. I am more than grateful for Akamichi-sans generosity and to accept yours is too much."

"So what do you suggest I do then Uzumaki-san," Naruto looked up at the sudden formality, right into Inoichi's eyes, "What should I do with this excess money that I couldn't possibly spend on my clan considering we are all alive, healthy and all our assets are rubble free?"

"With respect sir, I think you should do all you can for those less fortunate than myself. I am still alive and healthy too, the only thing I lack is a place to live. Since Akamichi-san has allowed me residence at his clans for at least the night, you should seek out those that cannot survive without help. I am a shinobi of the hidden leaf village, and if there's one thing I know what to do it's survive!" Naruto stated proudly to one of the legendary teams the village had produced.

The three looked at him with harsh eyes. To refuse a clan's help when it was offered purely as a gesture of kindness was quite the faux pas.

"What then?" Shikaku asked simply. "After we've helped everyone else that needs it, what about you?" Though he couldn't tell, all three awaited his answer.

"By the time you've helped everyone I'll be back doing missions. I won't need a place to worry about when I'm out on missions. Then when I get back, the old man will give me a nice big pay check so that I can buy my own place!" Naruto answered.

The three shared a look with each other,

'Iruka hasn't spoken to him yet…'.

"You're still only a genin Uzumaki, D-ranks come out of the villages pocket since it's mostly our villagers that request simple tasks only a genin can handle."

"Well then you better make way for Konoha's newest chūnin! I'll be out on C and B ranked missions in no time. Until I get my own place, I'll use a hotel on the off days between missions."

"You know Uzumaki, it is quite disrespectful to turn down a clan's help. Especially when we do it in circumstances such as these…" Inoichi stated, his voice no longer containing the friendliness it had a few moments ago.

"No disrespect Yamanaka-san, but if that offer can be used for people who need it rather than me, then I would turn you down every time!" Naruto stated firmly, his mind now focusing on an escape route should this conversation go from uncomfortable to worse.

"I see Uzumaki, then you leave me with no choice…" Inoichi stated, his friends giving him an uncertain look themselves.

"…that is exactly what I shall do."

The small amount of fear left Naruto as the tension disappeared.

"Huh?"

"Haha! You talk big for such a small fry!" Chōza roared, his hands on his belly as it jiggled under his armour.

"I must say Naruto, that was quite an impressive speech" Shikaku chimed in, his small smirk now nearly reaching his top scar. "With thoughts like that, you might just make Hokage yet."

Flattered by the compliment, Naruto still tried to take in just what was going on.

"Come on kid!" Chōza walked up to Naruto, slapped a giant arm around his shoulders and urged him forward, "Let's get back to mine, with that small frame and that hospital food in your belly, my wife's gonna love you."

"Er…Okay…Akamichi-san." Naruto replied nervously, slightly because of the situation, slightly because Chōza's arm was over twice as thick as his own.

"Chōza, how many times do we have to tell you, you're clan's abilities are aided by added lipase. Other people's aren't."

"It's just a meal Shikaku, what are you worried about."

"We're worried about how Naruto will be able to handle it when it's his first time while we've grown accustomed to the amount your wife cooks." Inoichi's pride for the young man was replaced with pity at what was to come.

"He can eat till he's full like the rest of us!" Chōza proclaimed proudly to the street.

Shikaku and Inoichi shared a look.

'Akamichi are never full…'

* * *

To say the Akamichi ate like kings would be putting it mildly…

With the sun now high in the sky, Naruto discovered how the Akamichi's ate lunch, even with the main members from the Nara and Yamanaka clan joining.

When Naruto arrived at the Akamichi clan house, he wasn't surprised to see Team 10 present along with what he guessed were top members from each clan.

Spread along the large dining table within the residence was the largest amount of food Naruto had seen in his life.

"Yo Naruto," Shikamaru called over, Ino and Chōji both turned to see the new arrivals, "Our dad's talked to you I guess."

"Yea, they did…it was weird."

"How so?" Chōji chipped in.

"Inoichi-san told me he would help provide the money for a new place all of my own."

"What? Does he think our clan's made of money?" Ino shouted with several people now looking at the odd teens.

"No no, it would be from the money he won betting on my match." Naruto answered. "He said he made a small fortune."

"Oh Naurto…" Chōji gulped.

"Not smart man…" Shikamaru backed away from the blonds with Chōji millimetres behind him, both looking at Ino like she was an exploding tag about to…

"B-but I declined!" Naruto said quickly, "It's his money, he should do what he want's with it." Naruto decided to leave out the part how he might have convinced him to spend it on the village.

"…I see…" Ino stated simply, the anger in her eyes gone.

"Huh?" Naruto, Chōji and Shikamaru could only look at her in confusion.

"If you would excuse me…" She said softly before turning around.

"What's she…" Chōji began.

Ino's eyes had found her target.

With a merely a flash of yellow to indicate her speed, Ino was gone. The split second it took for her to reach her target she let out a line only a 'daddy's little girl' can use in a very special tone of voice.

"Da-addy, you know how you love me so-o much…"

Shikamaru's hand high fived his face almost as fast as Ino had moved.

"Urgh, girls," he muttered.

"Wow, didn't see that coming, eh buddy." Chōji nudged his best friend.

"Sometimes, even I can't judge how Ino will react." Shikamaru sighed.

"So…" Naruto turned his attention back to the guys, "What's this all about?"

"You're gonna be staying at my place for now Naruto," Chōji explained, "Dad told us how your place had been wreaked fighting that Gaara kid and when mum remembered my stories of us she was practically on her way to discharge you from the hospital."

"Stories?"

"Yea, our competitions at Ichiraku's and all the time's he brought out a new flavour."

"Ooh." Naruto nodded. "Wait, this isn't all for me is it?"

"Heh, Chōji's mum is an Akamichi with a love of cooking," Shikamaru explained. "This is a feast of goodwill between the clan and it's allies, all because we watched each other's back during the invasion and the worst any of us got was either a bad poisoning or a broken limb. Since we can't do anything until we get reorganised and the Hyūga have swept the village thrice over with the Byakugan, we can rest until our next orders come in. Despite what you see here, this is just a small meal to the Akamichi, they donated a large chunk of their stock to the relief effort."

"Oh, so are the poisoned people gonna be okay?"

"I will be as soon as we can begin." Chōji answered back, continuing once he saw Naruto's confused look. "When me and Shikamaru left you and Shino, we caught up to the Gaara's team mates near the north west wall. That guy with the make up used his freaky puppet thing again. Shikamaru held it in place and I used my expansion jutsu to crush it." Chōji punched his fist into his hand.

"Needless to say, it was poisoned." Shikamaru filled in.

"Yea, it didn't really kick in till after they left but that was mainly because they were running out of chakra and I needed an antidote."

"We were just lucky Shino's dad came along when he did."

"Sucked the poison right out with his bugs." Chōji shivered, "Not to be rude, those things are useful, but creepy."

"I shall take that as a compliment…" A deep voice spoke behind the three.

Three heads turned to face the head of the Aburame, eye to shades.

"Ur…once again sir, I am deeply grateful for your assistance." Chōji bowed.

"Noted…" The Aburame said simply before turning and heading back into the crowd.

"When did he get here?" Chōji asked, turning back to Naruto.

"Just before I did…" said Shino, appearing right in front of the Akamichi where Naruto stood not moments ago.

"Gah! Shino!" Chōji jumped. "Your family have a real habit of sneaking up on people you know! It's not nice."

"We are ninja, it's what we do." Shino reasoned with own brand of logic.

Naruto just laughed at the scene before him. With the weird day he was having, he actually expected Shino to appear.

"O~oka~ay everyone!" A high sweet voice called over the small crowd. "It's ready!"

Naruto turned and saw a moderately plump woman set down a large roast pig in the centre of the table, complete with apple.

The four major clan heads present took their seats next to their wives and kids with Naruto taking a seat between Shikamaru and Chōji.

As people began to load a variety of foods onto their plates, little chats could be heard between them until one voice pierced the rest.

"Ah! You must be Naruto." The plump woman eyed Naruto, giving him a once over.

"Uh, Yes ma'am." Naruto replied sheepishly mid-reach for the ramen ladle.

"Chōji has told me all about you of course," She smiled widely.

The motherly Akamichi had red highlights on the edge of her eyelashes, red lipstick and short brown hair in short spikes that seemed more suited for a boy's hairstyle all coupled with her full-bodied size made her appear a very warm person.

"Just take whatever you want, we've plenty more should anyone want more."

Several nods of understanding from other people listening at the last part as everyone began to tuck into their meals.

"Arigato Akamichi-san." Naruto bowed his head in thanks and finally tucked into some sweet ramen.

* * *

The gathering wound down after the 'feast' from Naruto's point of view, but simply 'sunday dinner' to the rest of the clans.

"Heh, I'm actually impressed Naruto, I didn't think you'd beat your old record." Shikamaru chuckled as he, Naruto, Chōji and Shino lay in a four point star on the grass looking up at the evening clouds.

"Don't worry Naruto, that's it for you for today." Chōji laughed at his fellow 'Brother in Ramen' and 'Honorary Akamichi'.

"I must say, it was amusing even from a distance." Shino chipped in.

"When you can't beat 'em, eat 'em." Naruto said, laughing at his own joke before the others chuckled to themselves.

"You realise that doesn't make any sense at all right?" Came an irate feminine voice as she stood over the four.

"Does it have to?" Naruto turned over, resting on his elbows as he looked up at the other blonde.

Ino just scoffed and turned to Shikamaru.

"Come on lazy bones, we're leaving now."

Shikamaru let out one final sigh before lifting himself to his feet.

"All right, I guess this is it for me." He resigned to his fate.

"It seems my time here is up as well." Shino said, almost appearing next to Shikamaru showing no signs of having moved from horizontal to vertical, a single bug resting on his finger tip.

"It was great seeing you guys again." Naruto said to his friends as they nodded back at him.

"You take care Naruto." Shikamaru chuckled, rubbing his hair as he did.

"Stay well my friend." Shino reciprocated, transferring the bug to his thumb through will and simultaneously giving Naruto a thumbs up.

"Yea, later I guess." Ino said, having already turned and waving goodbye as she walked away.

Naruto settled back onto the grass with Chōji in silence as the other three left the compound.

"So what do you think your next mission from the old man will be?" Naruto asked after a while, trying to strike up another conversation.

"Um…Naruto…"Chōji started, unsure of how he could end the sentence.

"Oi! Naruto!" The clan head called across the lawn. Chōji sighed and silently thanked his father for at least the brief delay before the discussion.

The pair sat up and looked over.

"You got a visitor!" Chōza yelled before gesturing his head in Naruto's direction.

'Who want's me at this hour?' Naruto wondered.

Through the clan gate stepped one Umino Iruka, fresh off duty from the day guard. "What's ol' Iruka doing here?" Chōji half asked Naruto.

"Dunno…" Naruto simply answered.

As Iruka drew closer, Naruto could sense a funny feeling radiating from the chūnin. Something was wrong.

"Hey Naruto, Chōji." Iruka smiled, hiding behind a mask Naruto knew all too well.

"What's up Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked.

Iruka turned to Chōji for a second.

"Would you mind if I spoke to Naruto alone a minute Chōji?"

Chōji just nodded at his old teacher before heading off to the main house, dreading the news Iruka was about to give.

"What's up Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked again, his mind whirring, trying to guess what the chūnin wanted.

* * *

Chōji couldn't help but look out of his bedroom window. Naruto's bed had been set up next to his already.

He waited with bated breath as he watched the range of emotions run through Naruto's face.

Back in school, Naruto was almost always the last to learn something and never the first. History repeated itself as the last of the 'Konoha Twelve' learned of the Third Hokage's death.

Once Iruka had finished talking Naruto just turned away from him, a few more words from Iruka before he made his way back over to his dad.

Naruto jumped over to the Akamichi training ground and onto a high rock usually used for cover before sitting down and looking up at the sky.

Two knocks on his door announced the arrival of Chōza.

"Oi Chōji, Iruka just told Naurto about the Third…I think Naruto wants think for a while so I'll wait for him to come in."

"Yes dad." Chōji nodded to his father before he disappeared back around the door as it swung shut.

Chōji took one last glance out the window at the orange blob before settling down for the night, the last thought on his mind was supporting his friend and ally in the future.

* * *

The sky was painted a dingy grey as Naruto slipped his arm through one of Chōji's old plain black tops.

The look on Naruto's face could break anyone's heart as he looked at himself in the mirror. Along with his plain black top, Naruto had also been given a pair of plain black slacks and sandals for the event; the memorial for those who died protecting Konoha.

Naruto picked his dark blue headband up off the table, looking down onto the symbol of the leaf imprinted on it.

As he looked at the mark he proudly wore only yesterday, painful memories of the old man had come flooding back to him; happy memories with him, and how he knew he would never be able to make anymore with him.

Deciding to wear his hair loose today, he tied the ends of his headband around his neck, his bangs hanging low, helping to hide the pained expression he wore.

Two knocks rang out through the room as Chōji poked his head in through the door.

"Hey Naruto, you ready?…" Chōji called, poking his head around the door.

Naruto nodded slowly before turning back to Chōji, his eyes completely hidden under his bangs.

Chōji simply nodded back and led Naruto through the corridor and out where his folks were waiting for them, also dressed in simply black outfits.

With the small party complete, Naruto and the three Akamichi set off towards the Hokage building, where the service would be held.

Naruto hung toward the back of the group, simply looking at his feet while he could hear others moving around him.

Tenten walked out of her family shop, her traditional buns undone, letting her own hair hang loose with her headband tied around her left arm as she adjusted her black blouse and skirt.

She looked up as she finished a few brushes, watching as the Akamichi walked past with Naruto following, almost looking like he was under a Yamanaka control jutsu.

A brief jog and she caught up to the blond boy, reaching up and placing a hand on his shoulder in support.

His head tilted her way for a second as she caught his eye. It's normal blue sparkle had vanished, only a dull blue haze remained.

Naruto's gaze returned to the floor almost immediately as his head followed slowly.

Feeling a pang of extra pain in her heart, Tenten reached over to Naruto's other shoulder and pulled him into a one-armed hug as they walked. The blond didn't react.

As they walked further into the village, more ninja could be seen heading towards the bottom of the monument: Kakashi and Guy were just ahead of them while Ibiki and Anko could be seen whispering to each other as they popped out from a side alley.

Several other members of the unofficial "Konoha 12" could be seen dotted amongst the crowd: Lee now joined up with Guy, both of their usual "youthful" energy had been put aside for the moment, the Yamanaka and Nara clan head's kids were waiting for their last member up ahead and Kiba was walking sullenly with his own clan, each with their ninken partners with them.

The sky was even darker now. A small cry of thunder let itself be heard amoung the ninja, warning them of the heaven's impending tears.

Tenten felt another hand place itself alongside hers on Naruto's far shoulder.

Looking back, she saw Haku nod silently to her while Zabuza brought up the rear, he'd even worn black mouth bandages.

Haku moved her hand onto the largest section of Naruto's occupied shoulder that wasn't covered by Tenten and gave Naruto a small squeeze and dim smile.

She received the same look Tenten got when she approached; cold, lifeless eyes.

As the ninja made their way to the top of the Hokage building, each took their place in an organised fashion, standing a foot from every other person in front, behind and either side. As Naruto and the two girls took their places, they both released his shoulder with a small pitying smile on their faces for the boy.

If you strained your ears, trying to listen like a ninja, you would hear a small word of "Thanks" from the blond when the girls released him.

Neither spoke, but both their minds replied, "Anytime.".

Tenten looked around the crowd as the last of the ninja had made it onto the roof. Up front stood several pictures each on a little stand with a small candle and scroll next to each. The Hokage's portrait, stand, candle and scroll were the biggest and settled in the centre of the other pictures.

Most of the major clans had a spot up close to the front, both Hinata and Neji stood next to each other next to the Aburame clan as the last few stragglers settled and the funeral could begin.

A few drops of water landed on Kurenai as she stood next to Asuma Saurtobi.

"It's raining." She said as the clouds released their water.

"Yea…" Asuma replied, a strained look on his face, "Even the heavens weep for our loss."

At the front, right next to the portraits, Koharu and Homura stood with their heads low, acknowledging their lost team mate.

"We are gathered here to remember and honour not only the third Hokage, but all those who sacrificed themselves in this battle, so that our village would survive." Koharu began.

* * *

The procession carried on as each person in the crowd remembered their beloved and the memories they have with them.

Naruto's mind shut out the noises from the outside world as his thoughts now ran through his memories with the third; the first time he'd taken the old man to Ichiraku, when he managed to knock him out with his "Sexy Jutsu", and the last time he spoke to the old man before the tournament.

A dull coarse noise made it's way past Naruto's defences and brought him back to the real world.

In front of him stood Konohamaru Sarutobi, holding his hands up to, what Naruto could assume to be his eyes, as the kid cried for the loss of his grandfather.

Naruto felt the need to reach out and comfort the boy he'd taken on as a mini-apprentice in trouble like Tenten and Haku had done to him when a hand placed itself on Konohamaru's left shoulder.

Naruto looked over and recognised the familiar ponytail his old sensei wore.

Iruka just gave Konohamaru a reassuring squeeze before nodding back to the front. Naruto's eyes followed and watched as each member of the crowd placed a white rose on the small table before the pictures.

He reached into his pocket, unclipping the clasp on his kunai pouch and pulled out a similar white rose from inside it.

The people around him began to do the same, plucking their white roses from wherever they had them hidden as Naruto's line made its way to the front.

'Why did you do it old man? Why did you have to die?' Naruto thought as he placed his rose and returned to his position.

The procession drew to a close when the last ninja placed their rose and returned to their spot; Homura and Hoharu brought their arms to their sides, making sure the noise of it was heard by all as everyone stood to attention. As a wave flowing away, everyone bowed before the fallen as a last sign of respect.

With the official funeral over, many ninja began to disperse while some remain at the site, wanting a few more minutes to think.

Iruka led Konohamaru away with his friends, passing Naruto with a brief nod to his former student.

As the crowd thinned, Naruto moved closer towards the front, to look the Hokage's portrait head on as he thought.

"Naruto?"

"Are you okay?" Tenten and Haku asked respectively.

Naruto kept his gaze focused on the third as though he was trying to think him back.

Zabuza looked on curiously as the boy he'd come to admire let out a long sigh before turning and walking away.

"Uh…Naruto?" The girls called after him.

Without the sound of a footstep being made, Zabuza was behind the pair, his hands now giving their shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"Let him go, he needs to be by himself for now."

"But-"

"But nothing. The boy needs some space to think about what he's going to do next. From what I hear, the Hokage was the closest the kid's ever had to family." Zabuza said, firmly enough to stop Tenten's questioning, but not enough to scare her even more.

The trio just watched as Naruto walked away from them and back out into the streets.

* * *

Slowly, colour begins to return to the village as people exchange their wet, black clothes for their regular stuff; those that can re-open their stores, ninja get back to their missions and others just do what they can to perk themselves or others up.

Naruto had decided to remain in his mourner's clothes as he sat atop the Hokage monument, on the head of the third. His arms clutched his knees into his chest as he looked down at the village as the dots began moving.

Naruto's thoughts turned back to the old man, wondering just how the all powerful professor could have lost.

While the rain had dampened his blond locks, it's spiky structure was still maintained. It was one of the things he was most recognised by, especially one who watched him train till he was numb.

A small girl was walking along the top of the monument, her eyes guiding her to her target as she deactivated her kekkei genkai. She hopped over the guard rail and walked slowly toward her target.

"Um…" she said quietly as she tried to think of how to begin the conversation.

"Hello Hinata." Naruto called out without turning around.

"Umm H-hello N-naruto." Hinata said back, nervously.

He mind raced with her crush being mere feet from her as well as the thought of possibly breaking the rules by being on the monument in the first place.

"You gonna stand there all day or what?" Naruto called back, jerking his head to the side, indicating a free space next to him.

"Oh um…" Hinata blushed as she quickly made her way closer until she was standing next to Naruto's form.

Holding her hand up to her face to cover her mouth and as much blush as she could, her mind resumed the task of trying to make her speak in Naruto's presence.

"You still thinking about the old man too?" Naruto asked, his voice softer now.

"Urh, yes."

"Figures, I'm surprised you're the only other person up here Hinata."

Naruto's gaze was still trained on the village below as Hinata crouched down, gracefully lifting her black skirt slightly to prevent the cold, wet rock leaving marks.

"Well I…um…" Hinata started before Naruto finally turned his head towards her.

She looked into his eyes and saw the dull shade of depression she had often seen in her own mirror many times.

"I-I just wanted t-to feel a bit cl-closer to him…that's all."

For a brief second, a small smile flicked at the corner of Naruto's mouth.

"Yea, I know what you mean." Naruto replied, letting out a sigh as he released his legs and stretched until he lay flat.

Hinata blushed crimson at this and looked down towards the village.

The two sat in relative silence for a few minutes, listening to the wind wash through the trees and the birds sign their daily song.

"He changed my life you know…" Naruto spoke up as Hinata turned to look at him.

"He gave me somewhere to live, something to look forward to and someone to care about…"

Hinata waited patiently for Naruto to speak again

Naruto just stared up at the sky, occasionally blinking as the raindrops hit his eyes.

"I couldn't wait for him to come by some days, when he'd bring me some ramen or something. I remember when he got me my first set of goggles, remember those?" Naruto pointed to his forehead, Hinata just nodded, not wanting to disrupt his train of thought.

"Heh, he used to come by every week and just spend time with me. Whether it was playing "Ninja" or teaching me a new move or something. He would always make time for me."

Hinata smiled as she saw Naruto's own smile begin to come back.

"Whenever I was alone or hurt I always thought, 'What would the old man do?'. Whenever I got knocked down, I made myself train harder so I wouldn't get knocked down again, just like the Hokage trained and didn't let anyone hurt him or people in the village. I always told him I was gonna beat him someday and **take **that hat from him. Know why?" Naruto asked, his story drawing out some enthusiastic energy inside of him.

"Why Naruto?"

"So I could do for him what he did for me all those years, if I was stronger than him, I would make him realise that and the stronger of us would be Hokage so they could protect the other!" Naruto grinned, his right hand now clutched into a fist as he sat up, ready for a fight.

"But now…" his hand fell back down by his side as he let out a sigh.

Hinata suddenly felt a bit awkward sitting with Naruto.

"Why do you fight N-Naruto?"

The blond turned his head toward the petite girl.

"I'll tell you why I-I fight N-Naruto." Hinata took in a deep breath. "I fight because I want to become strong, I want to get strong so that I can protect the people I love the most." Hinata turned and smiled at Naruto as she fiddled with her sleeve and looked into Naruto's eyes.

"I want to get strong so that no one can hurt the people I hold closest to me no matter how hard they try. Kurenai-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei and the Hokage all protect us when we're out on missions. They risk their lives to keep us safe so that one day, we can protect our own students lives when we're jōnin and live safely… in the village… together." Hinata's blush returned and her voice weakened as she squeaked out the last few words, worried about how Naruto might react to what she implied.

Naruto said quietly as he faced the village once more. "The old man wanted to protect everyone in the village, because we were all his…precious people…" Haku's words in Wave country floated back to him.

Naruto's hands both gripped tight as he pushed himself to his feet.

"You hear that leaf village!" Naruto shouted, "I'm gonna get stronger and stronger! One day, I'll become Hokage and protect you all!"

Naruto's echo rippled around the Hokage heads and drifted into the village where a select few ears picked up his declaration.

"What about you Hinata?" Naruto turned back to the crouching girl and offered his hand. "You gonna get strong enough to serve the all powerful Hokage Naruto?"

Hinata blushed deeper and turned her head but offered her hand, feeling a sharp yank as Naruto pulled her up to her feet mere inches away from him.

She saw his smile and sparkle had returned as she gazed into the eyes she had fallen hard for.

"We'll make a promise now, you and me. We'll train as hard as we can and achieve our dreams together, right?"

Almost hypnotised to the reawakened brightness in Naruto's eyes and grin, Hinata gripped Naurto's outstretched hand in both of hers.

"Right! I promise you N-Naruto, I will try as hard as I can to fulfil my **own** dream. " Hinata said, a certain firmness in her voice helped seal the deal.

Naruto smiled and shot his trademark grin back at the petite Hyūga.

Though what happened next he couldn't prepare for.

Hinata's eyes closed as her hands gripped Naruto's tighter.

Naruto's eyes widened as he was suddenly pulled forward.

Hinata opened her eyes a crack and willed herself forward, bringing her owns lips against Naruto's as he placed his own hands against her shoulders to balance himself.

The two stood motionless as a soft wind blew over the monument. The sounds of the village and bird song slowly drifted back into their senses.

Naruto pushed gently on Hinata's shoulders, separating the pair as he looked at Hinata's face for any explanation as to what just happened.

Her eyes fluttered open and gazed back into Naruto's confused pair. They opened as wide as they could as the now beet-red girl jumped back with her hands now covering her mouth, letting out a small squeak of surprise.

"Hi-Hinata?"

"I-I'm s-sorry N-Naruto…I didn't mean t-to." She squeaked again, looking away as though she was being scolded for doing something wrong.

"Hinata…no that's no…I mean it um…" Naruto blushed as he couldn't help but look away from the girl.

The two stood in silence for a minute or so more before either could even glance at the other.

"Um…listen…I have to um…ge-uh, get back to training um…" Naruto said, doing a fairly good impression of Hinata.

"Oh…um…ok…" Hinata said back quietly, turning to leave with saddened shimmer in her eyes.

"We um…I just need to uh…" Naruto started. He shook his head quickly as he finally got a sentence together. "I just need to think for a while ok?"

Hinata stood still with her back toward him. A small bob of her head meant she understood.

"Ok…so um I'll talk to you later?"

A few seconds passed before Hinata's head bobbed again, accompanied with an affirmative "Mmmhmm".

"Good…ok…right I'll er.. I'll see you around Hinata," Naruto finished. Without another word, he tore his eyes away from the girl and ran towards the edge of the Third's head.

Hinata turned and watched as Naruto hurled himself off the top of the monument, disappearing from her sight.

Fear instantly set in as she hurried over to the edge and activated her Byakugan.

Wind whipped through Naruto's hair as his body fell faster and faster, passing the Third's massive hair, nose, chin towards the harsh foliage below.

His eyes began to water from the speed before he held out his arm as pushed a small burst's worth of chakra out of one, letting his other hand and feet grip the wall and slide down, slowing himself with regular chakra.

It hurt his hands like hell, but it was the fastest way to get out of an awkward situation he reasoned.

The trees rose to meet him and he pushed himself off the cliff face and bounced off of branches back toward the village roads.

Hinata let out a sigh of relief as she watched a small orange and yellow dot pop out of the trees and bounce over buildings towards the Akamichi clan residence.

She released her Byakugan and closed her eyes in her relief. A small thought made itself known in her mind as her hands shot back up to her mouth as fast as her body's blood could rush there.

"I kissed Naurto!"

* * *

Within the hour, Naruto could be found sitting atop the middle pole inside squad 7's training ground, his head in his hands as he stared at a combination of knees, sandals and ground.

'First Haku…then Hinata! B-but she-she knows about Haku right? But then there's Tenten and what she does…I mean she makes me feel…but they make me feel…argh! I can't…its…I-but…'

The Kyūbi could feel a headache coming on as though he could hear Naruto's thoughts being shouted in his ears.

"**GRRRR WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP!"** The Kyūbi roared.

Naruto clutched his own ears as his balance failed and he toppled to the ground between the posts.

"What the hell was that for?" Naruto shouted out.

"**For giving me a damn headache baka! Geez it's like you're shouting every thought at once. I'm in here too, remember!"**

Naruto shook his head as his outer hearing returned.

"What good are you? It's not like you can help with this sorta thing."

"**I am a well of knowledge forged over a great many years. You think I can offer no advice to your current situation? You must think less of me than I realised."** The fox snarled.

Naruto took in several deep breaths as he pushed himself back into a sitting position, pushing one foot up against the far pole and leaning his back on the one he'd just fallen from.

"Ok…alright I'm sorry…" Naruto apologised, "It's just this whole thi-"

"**Zip it!"**

Naruto shut up.

"**Good, you must forget I see everything you do now, else you wouldn't think to remember I have seen everything you have about these girls. I may have picked up on something you didn't for instance…"**

Naruto nodded slowly as he understood the situation a little better.

"Right."

"**So let me start by spelling it out for you then see where that takes us…You know three girls called Haku, Tenten and Hinata yes? You have managed to kiss two of these girls yes? And You think you feel something for all three of these girls that you do not for other girls, say for instance, Sakura yes?"**

Naruto nodded at the end of each question.

"**Then there is only one option…" **Naruto waited eagerly for the answer to his confusing thoughts. **"Mark all three as yours!"**

The fox roared with laughter as Naruto's anger rose.

"See! This is why I wouldn't go to you for advice in a million years!"

The fox's laughs slowed before it spoke again.

"**We'll put that in the 'Maybe' pile shall we? Now, you've known each of these girls for at least a few months now yes?"**

Naruto nodded again, though a frown graced his face by this point.

"**Well let's take it one at a time shall we? You kissed that Haku girl first, what do you feel when you're with her?"**

Naruto eyebrows rose slightly as he cast his mind back to when he was just withHaku and how he felt at the time.

"Uh...well, she makes me feel nice and happy."

"**Anywhere in particular?"**

Naruto rose one eye brow with a questioning look.

"**Nevermind, now, what do you want to do when you're around her, just the two of you?"**

"Um…I kinda just…you know…wanna hold her hand 'n' stuff."

"**Be close to her?"**

"Yea!"

"**Right, imagine you're back at the cliff where Haku and you walked when you went to find them. How did you feel then?"**

"Uh…a bit nervous, like she would look at me like all the villagers would."

"**And why were you nervous about that?"**

"Well," Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Because…it hurts when people look at me like that."

"**Would you say it would hurt worse than if all the villagers did it?"**

"Um…yea."

"**Why do you think that is?"**

"Because I care more about what she thinks than what some stupid villager thinks."

The Kyūbi grinned.

"**Why? She's just stupid girl that cosider's herself Zabuza's tool to use and throw away whenever she loses her barely passable looks or is of no more use to him."**

"Shut UP!" Naruto yelled, "Haku is not a tool anymore! She's a beautiful, smart, funny kunoichi who's a million times better than you!"

"**Because you like her?" The Kyūbi smirked, a small laugh escaping his lips.**

"Yes because I…" Naruto's mind suddenly caught up with his mouth. "Because I…"

"**Yes?"**

"Because I…I really like her…"

"**Ah good, now we're finally making progress." **The fox chuckled, his mind putting aside Naruto's insult for later when he can pay him back on a day that he isn't adorned in black.

"**That's one down, now tell me, what about Tenten."**

Naruto's mind raced as it ran Tenten through his recent thought process instead of Haku and came back with the same answers.

"**Wow, I see you DO have some brains up here. Though how I haven't seen them yet still makes me wonder."**

"Shut up baka fox! Geez." Naruto sighed.

"**Now for the last girl, this, 'Hinata', clearly you haven't been with her the same time as you have the other two, how do you feel about her?"**

"Well, I um…she kissed me…didn't she."

"**Looked that way to me."**

"Then…does she like me?"

The fox rolled his eyes.

"**Likely but you're missing the point, she's been around you since your early academy days but it's taken you this long to even notice her, and even then it's taken you this long to realise how she feels towards you."**

"Nyeh?"

The Kyūbi felt even his massive paw could not make a face-palm big enough to represent this moment.

"**She's liked you since forever. Damn Naruto, think about it! She's always around somewhere when you're training, she blushes whenever she's up close to you, and let's not forget the big one, She Kissed You! NOW, how do YOU feel about HER?"**

Naruto's mind wrestled with itself as he thought about his previous interactions with Hinata. He searched his feelings, looking for the same things he felt when he thought of Tenten and Haku.

If one was to look at Naruto's feelings for the three girls as though they were flower beds, you would see a small bunch of clear roses, not red nor white or yellow, but clear roses growing from two pots labelled "Haku" and "Tenten". The third pot, labelled "Hinata", was little more than a small mound of dirt, but when you look closely, a small shoot could b see pushing it's way through the recently watered plot and growing slowly. What it could grow into would be anyone's guess but it was definitely something to be monitored.

"I…I don't know…the only real time we've spent together was today. I know I was still thinking about old man Hokage and she helped me, she helped me see just how similar we really were."

"**Right, well we can just leave that for now, maybe you'll be able to figure it out yourself if you talk to her again."**

"…maybe…" Naruto said quietly, his mind going through different scenarios of his and Hinata's next meeting.

"**Well since we've figured out two of them obviously really like you back, we should work on which one you have to pick."**

"Huh?"

"**Well, both of them didn't object to kissing you, you at least like them, you have to pick one and give the other the heartbreak of their lives."**

"What?"

**Well you can only have one can't you, if Tenten does indeed like you like the other two do then you can only pick one of the three, which will it be Naruto?"** The fox asked, chuckling to itself. **"Whichever one you pick, the others will be terribly upset and heartbroken."**

Naruto managed to picture the worst case scenario, telling each girl that he picked another.

The sadness that he pictured on each of their faces was devastating, it physically felt like he was hurting just seeing the pain on their beautiful faces.

It reminded him of his own pain, when he caught the sight of himself in a shop window back when he was young.

All he wanted was to not be alone anymore, to be hugged and held like other people were by their parents, to have someone to care for him as he cared for them.

His mind raced at these thoughts and come to the only honourable conclusion.

'I can't do it to any of them…'

The Kyūbi chuckled deeply as he curled back up into his cage, seeing Naruto acknowledge that he **did** want all three girls. He returned to his own thoughts and remembered his own promise he made to himself earlier, "Not to bother Naruto on his day of mourning.". Well, seems he'd kinda broken that but it was for the boy's own good. Maybe he'd find some happiness after this, Kami knows the boy deserves it.

"Urgh, maybe I should just leave it for now. I need to do something!" Naruto shouted to himself, his pent-up energy finding a crack in his outer defences and begging to be released. "I need to train, or work-out, or hit something…"A soft rustling in the trees and a familiar sannin jumped into the clearing.

The fox cracked open it's sleepy eye "one last time" it told itself and recounted Naruto's last thought about hitting something.

'**I couldn't pick a better target'**

"Yo, Naruto. What're you doing all the way out here?"

Naruto was half tempted to try and get one up on the sannin and push him into a little spar but put this urge aside to question the truant perv.

"Where the hell were you?"

Jiraiya flinched at this accusation.

"Me? I-uhh…when…?" He asked innocently, the heat from the hot springs still keeping his coat a little warm.

"During the old man's funeral! Where the hell were you!"

"Woah woah, easy Naruto. Just because you don't see a ninja, doesn't mean he isn't there. Just what are they teaching in the academy these days."

"You know damn well what I mean, I know you weren't there because I could sense you half-way across town!"

'Sense? Just how much influence does he have from the Kyūbi?'

"Ah ha! So you did know where I was. I think you just answered your own question there Na-ru-to." He replied, a grin plaguing his features.

The anger Naruto felt over the Hokage's death rose up in his chest, begging to be released in some form.

Before Jiraiya could close his toothy grin, Naruto's fist struck towards the smug sannin, hoping to at least take one of his choppers out.

Jiraiya watched as Naruto's slow moving hand passed over his head as he ducked, grabbing Naruto's arm and chest, flipping him over onto his back.

They both landed on the floor with a thud that could be considered painful to anyone who hadn't trained their body harder than a wrestler.

"Geez, what the hell was that for Naruto?" Jiraiya asked as sat up, pulling the blond up by his shirt and plopping him next to him though facing the other way.

"So I wasn't at the old guy's funeral, big deal, it's not like I can't visit him later."

"Well what were you doing that was **so** important that you had to miss paying your respects with the rest of the village?" Naruto shot back, angrily at the Toad Sage.

Jiraiya leant back on both his hands, now looking up into the sky.

"Not to change the subject or nothing' Naruto but…did you see Sasuke there either?"

A pregnant silence hung between the two as Naruto recalled the funeral, not once seeing the duck-haired Uchiha that he called his rival.

"Oh he is so gonna pay for this! He's as bad as you are you dirty old perv!"

A swift downward bop on the head had Naruto clutching his skull lightly.

"Normally, I would agree with you has this been the case but you don't know everything that happened during the battle." Jiraiya sighed.

*Flashing Back*

* * *

His eyebrows furrowed as he saw the last snake looking into the sky at something.

Turning his own gaze that way he saw something small moving through the air fast.

His eagle eyes zooming in on said object.

A red and white fan.

His mind raced remembering what Orochimaru was after all those years ago, watching as the snake's mouth opened slowly.

"Oh no you don't! Gamahiro!" Jiraiya shouted to the toad, his partner knowing immediately what to do.

Putting all it's strength into it's back legs, the toad launched itself across the battlefield, raising one of it's blades in both hands for a stronger, double-handed strike.

Jiraiya braced himself against the wind, ready to launch himself at the right time to snatch the Uchiha out of the air before the last of the snake heads devoured him.

The snake had felt the loss of it's other heads and the incoming force that was the toad sage. If he was going to die now, he would complete his final mission or have Manda scold him in the afterlife.

It extended it's neck, stretching ever closer to the Uchiha as he passed under the front teeth.

Jiraiya couldn't move fast enough. He kicked himself off Gamahiro so had he apologized for it later. Soaring the the air, he could only watch as the Snake's fangs clamped down around the Uchiha who had been settled in the centre of the snake's mouth.

Gamahiro's sword came down, the silver steel sinking into the scales of the snake.

Before the blade could make a majority of a cut, the snake burst into smoke, disappearing from the battle.

Jiraiya's body emerged on the other side of the smoke, landing on a small building before turning to gaze at the lost enemy…and the lost Uchiha…

*Flashing Forward*

* * *

"Wha…What?" Naruto almost yelled, his voice definitely rising again.

"Either Sasuke Uchiha is dead…Or…More likely…Orochimaru has gotten his fangs on him…on the Sharingan." Jiraiya said as though the words hurt to say.

"Sasuke…Sasuke's been…"

"Captured…I'm afraid so…" Jiraiya answered, "The village is still recovering from the attack and of the few captured ninja, none have given us any sources on the snake's latest hideout."

Naruto jumped to his feet.

"Well what are we doing waiting around here! We have to do something!"

"Geez kid you got sand in your ears? I told you, with no leads, we don't know where to even begin looking. Unlike that mist-nin and his apprentice, they could be all the way in Snow Country by now."

Naruto's eyes widened and he dropped to his knees, his fists hanging uselessly at his side.

Jiraiya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Look, kid. I shouldn't be telling you this but the village has got a new mission for me…"

Naruto looked up into the sannin's eyes. The cold defeated look Jiraiya has spied from the rooftops earlier had returned. It sent his mind reeling back at the memories from the third ninja war…when Tsunade lost her little brother…

It sent her into a downward spiral into what she has become today. He would not let Naruto join her down that path.

"The village is in need of a leader now and I have to leave and go look for them. First thing we have to do is rebuild the village, second, while we rebuild the village, I can go look for our new leader. Third or second and a half…you could come with me and I'll teach you some of my all-powerful techniques."

Naruto looked straight into the sannin's eyes. A brief spark of excitement had returned but faded quickly.

Jiraiya let out one long, last sigh, looking back up at the sky as he did.

"And…if we happen to come across any clue's about Orochimaru's whereabouts…I guess we could check them out…"

The spark was back.

"So you're saying it might not be too late?"

"I am saying there may be a slight possibility that we may still recover the **location** of the Uchiha. If there is a chance we can save him, we will bring back the information and I'm sure the village will send out many squads to bring back the "Last Uchiha"."

Naruto gripped his fists together once again.

"I refuse to lose another friend to that bastard!" Naruto raged, "Teach me everything you can pervy sage then I will rescue Sasuke myself, then I'll make sure Orochimaru never harms anyone again!"

The fire had been relit in the boy's belly.

Jiraiya smiled lightly then raised his arm and delivered another blow to Naruto's head.

"What did I tell you about calling me that!"

* * *

Naruto strode out into the Akamichi training grounds after denying himself a majority of the meal Chōji's mother had cooked.

He removed his jacket and set it on the rock he had sat on after Iruka showed up yesterday.

Now back in the only jumpsuit and T-shirt he could call his own, Naruto stepped into the middle of the training field to try and organise his thought with a hard work-out.

'Jiraiya-sensei said we'll set out tomorrow at dawn…I need to get rid of this energy so I can sleep tonight.' He thought, running through a few basic Taijutsu drills to warm up.

'I wonder how long we'll be gone…Jiraiya said we may be gone a while depending on how easy and quickly we can find this old team mate of his… I wonder if I should tell Haku and the other's how long I should be gone…then again, I should probably tell everyone that I'm actually leaving first of all…man that's gonna be awkward…'

Naruto's thoughts wandered to the three girls that had his mind so befuddled earlier that same day as he ran into more advanced drills.

These thoughts filled his mind so much, he didn't notice one of these girls walking down the path towards him.

"Working hard Naruto?" A sweet voice called out to the blond.

Naruto's concentration broke as he turned quickly to the invader and raised his defensive stance.

A cute giggle found its way to his ears as Tenten's form made itself known to his brain.

"Man, when you focus on something, you focus eh?" Tenten called out, walking towards the slightly stunned boy with a smile on her face.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously as the thoughts and feelings about her were pressing hard to the front of his brain.

"Well since I interrupted you, how about I help you train for a bit." She offered kindly, a hidden smile lurking dangerously behind her eyes, waiting for the right moment…

"Ok, sure." Naruto smiled, relaxing back into his taijutsu pose.

Tenten looked at him curiously,

"Are you still warming up? I thought we could let our blades do the talking since I never got to face you in the chūnin exams." The smile looked more like a smirk now.

"Oh ok, sure" Naruto's hand reached over his shoulder, gripping for a blade that wasn't there.

'Huh, I wonder where I put that. Maybe I left it in Chōji's room…no…no I don't think I've had it in his house…in fact, I don't think I've had it since…" Naruto looked at the dark smirk now residing on Tenten's face.

"What's the matter Naruto? You did remember to take care of your sword like I told you too, didn't you?"

Naruto remembered now, he last had it in the fight against Gaara back in the cave…which has collapsed…

Maybe he could buy some time from Tenten's wrath by saying it was inside while he dug for it.

"Oh darn. I think I left it up in Chōji's room. I'll just go get it, you wait here." Naruto said, the last part hastily as he began heading toward the compound.

In a matter of seconds, Tenten was jogging alongside him.

"That's ok, I'll wait outside the window for you."

Naruto was in too deep now.

He knew that if he went to get it and it wasn't there, Tenten would be pissed. On the other hand, if he suddenly took off for the rubble district, Tenten would suspect something was up.

Only one choice was left for him.

"Tenten, wait."

The pair stopped.

"It isn't in my room. I erm…" Naruto rubbed the back of his hair again. "I think I might of, kinda, sorta lost it when I fought with Gaara of the Desert. I'm sorry…I shouldda looked for it as soon as I left the hospital, please forgive me sensei…"

He bowed his head unto the weapons mistress's mercy.

Tenten looked down at the blond knuckle head, not letting him know that the sensei comment let her feel a warm and giddy.

"So you're saying that you lost our finely crafted masterpiece in a hole somewhere in the village that may or may not be recovered in the future and all you can say is "Sorry Sensei?"

Naruto braced himself for whatever punishment he felt he deserved after losing what he and Tenten put so much effort into making just for him.

He heard a soft sigh and the "Poof" of a weapon being summoned.

This was it…

*Poke, Poke*

Naruto looked up at the thing that poked him in the left shoulder.

It was the end on a sheath, particularly one that he knew housed his blade.

Looking further up the sheath, he found the handle he'd come to know so well settled at the end, meaning his blade was contained within the sheath.

Lastly he looked up at Tenten as she held the sheath out to him, a stern look on her face, but not one of anger, nor disappointment.

"Don't go forgetting this blade Naruto. We **both** put our hearts into making this blade for you…don't go losing it like some generic shuriken." She scolded.

Carefully, Naruto reached up and took the blade from her, quickly holding it out to himself and checking the blade was indeed concealed within.

Satisfied, he pulled the sheath over his head and back into it's original comfy spot before looking back at Tenten.

"I'm sorry, Tenten-sensei. I will take better care of it in the future."

"See that you do you knuckled head." She said, a slight smile returning to her face.

Now, Naruto had a question of his own for her.

"How did you…?"

"When I saw you at the hospital, all your gear was on the side minus your sword. I knew no one else would have taken it so you must have used it when you fought Gaara. I know you didn't do it on purpose, a true ninja knows that sometimes, tools must be sacrificed in order to protect oneself and others. I don't know how you did it, but I know you wouldn't leave it there without good reason, so first thing I did after my first visit was get it back."

"Oh ok I erm…thanks Tenten." Naruto smiled.

With his previous thought patterns and unusual feelings around the girl, Naruto's body decided to act on the whims of his sub-conscious. He raised his arms and wrapped them around Tenten in a comfortable hug.

Tenten's eyes widened at first, caught off guard at the suddenness of the intimacy but quickly realised what he was doing and put her arms around Naruto's toned figure, pulling him just that little bit closer.

"No problem Naruto…"

The hug came to an end as the two teens parted, smiling awkwardly at each other.

Naruto was the first to speak.

"Well…I should be getting to bed. I've got a big mission with pervy sage in the morning."

Tenten put her hands on her hips.

"Naruto," She said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "How many times have I told you to pay proper respect to Lord Jiraiya-sama."

"He's nothing but a pervy old man. Besides, he's probably gonna try and ditch me in all the towns we pass through to get some "research" while we look for the new Hokage."

"New Hokage? You mean you and Jiraiya-sama are going to find a ninja outside the village to become our new leader?" Tenten asked.

"Well kinda, she was a leaf ninja in the past. We need to find this "Tsnude" chick and bring her back here."

Naruto's interpretation managed to ring a bell in Tenten's mind.

"You wouldn't mean Tsunade would you?" Tenten's voice pitch rose as her excitement grew.

"That's it…I think. Me and Jiraiya gotta go find her and convince her to come back here." Naruto reiterated.

Tenten's eyes were now brighter than diamonds.

"Wow, really? Oh you gotta let me come Naruto, she's my idol, the kunoichi I've modelled myself after, I just have to meet her!"

Naruto backed up slightly as the girl he was frightened of only moments ago was now begging him to take her on his mission with Jiraiya.

"I er…I dunno Tenten. It's not me who decides. I guess if you really wanna come you can meet me and Jiraiya at the front gate tomorrow at daybreak and ask him then." Naruto reasoned.

"Right, then that's what I'll do!" Tenten said with a determination often seen on Naruto himself.

Before anything else could be said between the two, Tenten had dashed off home with a wave back to Naruto, ready to pack for the trip.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief as he wandered back inside with a smile back on his face.

* * *

The sun just began to peak over the tops of the trees into the leaf village as Naruto and Tenten approached the main gate together where the white haired traveller was waiting for them.

"Mornin' Naruto, what's with the girl?"

Tenten looked visibly irked by his question.

"Jiraiya-sensei, you remember Tenten, my friend with the weapons?"

"Ah right yea, the one who loves my old hag of a team mate."

Tenten had enough of this.

"Lord Jiraiya, I wish to accompany you and Naruto to reason with and recover the next Hokage. Please take me along with you!" She bowed her head with her hand together in plea.

Jiraiya merely chuckled.

"Geez kid do you know how to pick company. Alright girly, if you've made sure everyone knows where you are, you can come with us."

Tenten literally jumped for joy before calming down almost as fast.

She walked over to the toad sage and promptly punched him in the ear.

Naruto only looked stunned at his weapon wielding friend as did Jiraiya.

Tenten spoke before either of them could get a word in.

"That was for insulting Tsunade-sama!"

Jiraiya just glared at the girl before looking over at Naruto then back to the girl.

"This is gonna be a long trip isn't it…"

"Only if you make it so Jiraiya-sama," Tenten said, her demeanour now back to excitable and cheery. "And the name's not "Girly" it's Tenten, remember it this time!"

The trio left the village in high spirits aside from the minor beat down as they began the path to the third sannin happily.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a remote part of lightning country…

"Kabuto!…Is he ready?…" A raspy voice called out.

The door to the room opened with the sound ninja known as Kabuto sanding there with a few minor scrapes on his body and clothes.

"He is awake and restrained like you ordered master." Kabuto bowed to the figure in the bed.

"Good…" The figure rose and brushed past Kabuto, moving out into the dark hallway.

Dim torches lit the yellowed hallways as master and right-hand man walked towards a certain chamber where the main prize of the attack on the hidden leaf lay.

'Just a few more minutes…and I'll finally possess the Sharingan!'

Kabuto ran ahead and opened the door to the main hall of the hideout.

It was here that a steel medical bed lay in the centre of the hall, currently containing the struggling body of the last Uchiha.

"My my Kabuto…isn't it magnificent…"

"Hai, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto replied, hurrying over to the medical table.

He looked down into the struggling boy's red eyes as they glared back into his, a gag holding back all the mean words likely to spew forth.

Orochimaru coughed harshly and clutched his chest halfway between the door and his prize.

"Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto called out worriedly.

"Stay back, just hurry and remove his gag. I want to see the fear in his eyes first…"

Hesitantly, Kabuto worked to turn the medical bed around then kick a lever attached to the bottom of the bed.

Sasuke felt his body lurch as it was brought upright.

Still restrained, he looked across at this newcomer until his memory kicked in.

"That's right, remember me Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru chuckled deeply. "It seems everything has worked out in my favour. The third Hokage is dead, and I have the sharing an sitting right in front of me, ready to take."

Kabuto took this opportunity to reach up and pull off Sasuke's cloth gag.

Instead of curses and insults, a rather unexpected string of words came from the Uchiha.

"So that's why you marked me, so I will give you my eyes."

Orochimaru chuckled again,

"Oh my no Sasuke-kun. You misunderstand…that mark was merely a back-up. A little "insurance" if you will. I knew that had I not acquired you during the battle like I have, you would grow to enjoy the power my little gift gives you and would soon come willingly to me, looking for more…"

Sasuke's eyes widened, he had liked the power that the curse mark gave him and felt like he needed more…much more…

"But it seems fate has worked in my favour. My snake managed to capture you just before it died. Now my years of planning can come to fruition as I take your eyes to master all the jutsu of the world!" Orochimaru yelled triumphantly.

"Tsh, so what, you're just going to take my eyes then kill me, I won't let you! Let me free from this thing and I'll take you're head clean off your shoulders!" Sasuke yelled.

"Hehehehe my my Sasuke, you seem to think you will be getting some sort of chance here. It is my sad duty to inform you that you won't be. I won't **just** be taking your eyes…I'll be taking your hands, your legs, and even your brain too as I claim your body for my own!"

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as his head hit the back of the medical bed.

It couldn't end like this…he was an Uchiha, an avenger… he still hadn't fulfilled his dream, his destiny of avenging his clan from his traitorous brother!

Kabuto and Orochimaru chuckled lightly as the final moment approached.

"Prepare yourself while you can Sas…" Orochimaru began his final gloating before the last technique ended his suffering in this body.

What stopped him mid-gloat however, brought a chill to everyone's bones.

Two sets of footsteps could be heard moving down the opposite hall and from their training, they could tell they were getting closer.

Kabuto and Orochimaru were now both facing whatever it was that was walking towards them and for at least Orochimaru, Sasuke saw he had fear, anger and pure rage on his face all at once.

As the two pairs of footsteps made it into the hall, one could now see they belonged to two men dressed in black cloaks with red clouds on them complete with bamboo hats.

"You!" Orochimaru hissed at the two newcomers.

Sasuke's mind reeled at all the possibilities of who these newcomers could be.

These wonderings were settled when he heard the silky voice that haunted his dreams to this day.

"Hello Orochimaru…I see you've met my brother Sasuke…"

* * *

**Omake**

"**So…Naruto…I should probably show you a new jutsu now since you're out of the hospital now and all."**

"Hell yea! Come on Kyūbi, gimme your best one!"

"**Hehe, I hardly think you are ready for **_**that**_** just yet but tell me, you are aware that us demon's can shape shift correct?"**

"You can? Isn't that like our transformation jutsu?"

"**Quite the opposite my young kit…your transformation jutsu is based on our shape shifting abilities, the fact that anything we are is real while yours is fake. We use chakra to change our form, you simply hide it."**

"Whoa! Nice! So what are you gonna change into?"

"**On the contrary my dear kit, this is my shape shifted form."**

"Really? What are you smaller than this in real life or something.

The Kyūbi chuckled at Naruto's failed guess.

"**Not at all, in fact, why don't I show you."**

The foxes red fur and face receded from sight, back into the darkness of the cage.

Naruto waited with bated breath, eager to see the true form of the kitsune.

"So…Naruto-kun…how do you like my true form?"a sweet yet vulnerable voice called out.

First from the shadows was a bare leg, then a thigh, before a stomach, bosom and petite face with nine dark red hair braids. The worst part for Naruto…she was as naked as the sun is bright.

The boy shot back into the murky water from a nosebleed, his mind reeling at the dirty thoughts going through his head.

'**Hehehe, sexy no justu…payback edition…'**

* * *

A/N: Thought I'd do the AN after the Omake in case some of you left early. Right, addressing the situation of lateness, all I can do is offer my apologies. As a student now going through college I realize just how much life can escape you and everything getting in the way of everything else. Needless to say I won't bore you with the details but what I'm saying is Life got busy for me and that's that. The new chappy is here, I hope you enjoyed and I have my plans for the next one now after this endured many rewrites.

I'm still not 100% happy with some of the speeches and interactions in this chappy so ANY feedback would be good, just leave you review and I shall address it post-haste.

One other thing I want you guys to know is I am currently working on making my own video game and making a devient-art account. When both are up I will let you know so you can comment on my little game and pretty pictures :P I assure you, I am half decent and not an ameteur so when it's up, look me up sometime when it's ready. :D

Keep Reading!


	17. Chapter 17

**The New Naruto**

"Naruto!" - Normal speaking

'What a dobe.' - Thinking

"**Hello, I'm the Kyuubi.**" Demon speaking

'**Hmmm the kit has promise.**' - Demon Thinking

"_For this jutsu…"_ - Writing

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Denial and Acceptance**

"Urgh I'm beat," Tenten complained as she slumped against a tree, "Where is this town you said we were getting close to Jiraiya-sama?"

"Yea come on you old perv, shouldn't we be there by now?" Naruto shouted as he stopped next to Tenten.

The trio had been walking for a solid two weeks, making camp for only one night in a single place and always packed before the sun rose. By now, they had travelled through seven towns around the outskirts of the Land of Fire where Tsunade was last heard from.

"It's getting close now. Come on kids, you think it would be easy finding "The Legendary Sucker"?" Jiraiya called back as he simply carried on walking. "The sun's not down yet, we've still got plenty of time.

"No!"

A small stone bounced off the back of Jiraiya's head.

"Grr! What the hell?" Jiraiya clutched his head where the rock stuck and saw Naruto standing in a defiant pose.

"All this time we've spent moving from one place to another, just looking for this Tsunade woman when we could've been chasing up better leads or you could be doing some of the stuff you promised!""Naruto?…" Tenten said quietly, wondering what the blonde was talking about.

As if he read her mind, Naruto answered her question.

"You said you would teach me some of your techniques, that you would train me so I could get stronger." Naruto pointed defiantly at his "sensei". "I haven't learnt a thing from you since we started this trip besides how NOT to find an ex-leaf ninja! I could be back at Konoha training against Bushy Brow or Kiba, developing new techniques to take this Orochimaru bastard out and bring Sasuke back! Hell, the Fox is a better teacher than you!"

All three minds clicked at that moment.

Naruto had misspoke and he knew he'd messed up bad. He saw the look in Jiraiya's eyes as he just yelled out one of the leaf's biggest secrets. Right now, he daren't look at Tenten for fear she knew what he meant.

Jiraiya now knew for sure something was going on between Naruto and the Demon Fox sealed within him and he had to put a stop to it, but first, he had to disarm the situation.

"Geez Naruto, that hurts," he replied sarcastically. "Just because you learned how to survive in a forest from that overgrown fox you healed." He glanced over at Tenten and saw the young girl's eyebrows furrow in confusion. She'd probably ask Naruto about it later. Looking back over at the hyped-up blond, they both knew he'd just saved his ass.

"Alright then Naruto." Jiraiya dropped his backpack on the ground with a thud. "You wanna train so bad? Let's train! First, dodging!"

In a flash of movement, Jiraiya was in front of Naruto, his left arm low and a surge or chakra could be felt and seen rushing to it.

Both Naruto and Tenten's eyes widened at Jiraiya's speed, Naruto's instincts telling him to push himself back off his feet as a glowing blue ball missed his chest by inches.

"Rasengan!" Jiraiya shouted out, slamming the ball past Naruto and into a tree just off the track.

Pain was the first thing that came to Naruto's mind, even as a ninja, landing on your rear on a rocky road hurts.

Jiraiya simply smirked and stood upright again.

"You want training? How was that for starters; the Rasengan!"

Tenten helped Naruto up, the blond's jaw dropping when he saw the destruction Jiraiya had caused.

Behind the old sannin, a good chunk of tree was now missing, a deep spiral-like groove left in its place against the remaining bark.

"It's your new technique." Jiraiya's grin widened as Tenten's jaw dropped alongside the blonde's. "Do you not like it? Would the genin like a tamer one?" he taunted.

Tenten was about to howl abuse at "Lord Jiraiya" for his outrageous method of teaching before Naruto spoke up again.

"Hell no!" Naruto called back, running over to the tree and inspecting the damage more thoroughly. "That's just the thing I need!"

"Lord Jiraiya!"

Both pumped up males turned towards their female accomplice.

"Just what kind of training do you call that?" Tenten shouted.

Jiraiya brought his arms up and wiggled his fingers as though pressing against something.

"Hands on" he replied perversely.

Dodging the second rock, this time from Tenten, Jiraiya decided to explain his…method.

"Knowing a jutsu, understanding a jutsu and performing a jutsu are all separate parts of the same entity." He began, a board and teaching stick appearing out of nowhere, "Simply by applying the first and last principals, one can perform a jutsu, but, only with proper understanding of a jutsu can it become a proper, more useful tool. Take your weapons for example." Jiraiya gestured to Tenten's scroll holders. "Any fool can pick up a sword, swing it and kill a man, but, it takes proper understanding of the blade to know _how_ to wield it to it's potential. Knowing how your own jutsu react and feel can be the thing that either saves your life or ends it."

Naruto looked at the ground with a thoughtful expression on his face while Tenten responded.

"How so?"

"Take that Rasengan for example. That was just about forty percent of the power I can put into a Rasengan of that size. Now, if I used a Rasengan equal to that one on an enemy and they fell down unconscious right off the bat then I could either think he's a very weak ninja, or he is no where near to being defeated yet and take caution."

Jiraiya walked over to another tree.

"Underestimating your enemy is the most unwise action a ninja can take, it leads down a path of overconfidence and smugness, the kind the Uchiha exerted whenever he did something."

Tenten merely nodded, watching the Uchiha perform some basic throwing drills and act like he was the king of kunai when he hit the bulls eye mark.

"That Rasengan would merely blow an enemy away; a fully powered Rasengan will blow a **chunk** of enemy away." Jiraiya stated, forming a similar ball of blue chakra in the same hand.

He turned his attention towards the tree next to him and once again, slammed the ball into the trunk. A large scrapping and crunching noise could be heard in at least a good mile as the blue ball ate away at the bark.

When Jiraiya let the chakra dissipate, the tree had a good two feet's worth of height, length and width's worth of bark removed from it's two and a half foot diameter.

With a crack, what remained of the tree snapped and fell to the side as Tenten and Naruto could only watch in awe while Jiraiya gauged their expressions.

"…and that's a fully powered Rasengan class, get a ninja between a wall and one of these and they **won't** be getting up again…any questions?"

The genin's jaws simply dropped at the ease at which the sannin seemed to be performing what was obviously a high level jutsu.

"Right, well I think that's enough teaching for today." Jiraiya laughed, hitching up his pack, "Shall we off?" He asked before turning and walking along the road.

Gathering his wits, Naruto sucked in a deep breath to rid himself of the slight winding he'd received and hurried up to his sensei.

"Come on the you pervy sage, how do you do it?" Naruto asked, his previous anger gone and only excitement in his voice.

Tenten brought her hand to her face in frustration, if Jiraiya didn't relent and teach Naruto how to do it, she would have one major headache by the time they reached the next city.

"Don't worry, we'll have time for that later." Jiraiya laughed, catching Naruto's downtrodden look in his eye. "Even without your little hissy I would've been teaching it to you within the next hour or so, this place is great for training."

Tenten sighed, and hurried back up to the duo as Naruto questioned the sannin again.

"What place?" He asked, looking around and seeing nothing but trees and a small river running alongside the path.

Jiraiya chucked as he comically dashed up the last few strides to the top of the hill.

"Why this place of course!" Pointing at something over the ridge.

Naruto and Tenten quickly followed the white haired hermit up to the top and gazed at the sight before them.

Dusk was definitely here as the orange light captured the town's beauty perfectly. The hustle and bustle of shopping and good times could be heard as bars were packed and brothel's filled.

"Never doubt a wise hermit when he tells you "it's getting close"." Jiraiya chuckled at the pair before setting off down what remained of the path towards the town, the genin quickly on his heels.

* * *

The unique trio strolled through town, passing many drunk and rambunctious people on their way to where Jiraiya only knows.

"Oi, prevy sage, you better not be thinking about just dragging us here for the booze and women." Naruto said, giving a small glare at his now drooling sensei as they passed a particular brothel with Tenten nodding alongside him.

Shaking his head, the sannin quickly doubled his stride,

"Of course not, this place is key to finding Tsunade. As well as gathering other information."

Naruto glared.

"…and training of course." Jiraiya chuckled.

Another few minutes of walking before Jiraiya stopped outside a rather modern building; sleek black wood decorating its walls with a bright neon sign above reading "Work".

"What the hell is this place?" Naruto asked, trying to discern why the hermit would stop here.

"To check in and relax of course." Jiraiya answered, striding forward as if it was the end of a long, arduous journey.

Tenten and Naruto just glanced at each other, sharing a quick shrug before giving the hermit the benefit of the doubt, following him inside.

The interior design was slightly different from the outside only in the colour scheme.

Bright white, what Naruto could tell was teak, wood made up the walls with the overall theme being what could be called "fluffy" if the pillows on the sofas were anything to go by.

"The three of us for your finest spa room." Jiraiya's words floated to the ears of the two teens.

"Oi, prevy sage, whats the deal with this place?" Naruto called out, the two genin standing by his side.

Jiraiya slug his backpack down onto the floor before stretching his arms wide, a few pops and clicks coming from his aging bones.

"Can't you tell? I just gave you the biggest hint you could ask for."

"Well we can tell it's a spa Jiraiya-sensei, we just don't understand why we're here." Tenten replied, a tick mark suddenly growing on her head, "You better not have dragged us here to do this "research" I heard about."

Jiraiya waved his arms in front of himself defensively.

"No no, nothing like that. This will be our base for the next day or so." Jiraiya looked past the teens to an attractive woman beckoning them. He hoisted his bag onto one shoulder before nodding to the teens to move down the corridor. "This is one of the best hotel spas in all of fire country, really takes the edge off of training and anything else that troubles you."

The trio came to their room, the attractive attendant sliding the panel open for them.

Naruto and Tenten walked in and looked around the place while Jiraiya gave a cheeky nod and wink to the woman before entering.

The room wasn't overly large, it had enough room for at least a party of eight with a long dining table and plenty of cushions. There were also three sets of panels, two along the right wall and one at the front.

Naruto hurried over to the panel at the front, sliding it open to reveal a wide, steaming spring.

"Wow," Tenten hurried over to get a better look herself, "This is beautiful." Her eyes taking in the style of the spring and the surrounding rocks and exotic looking plants.

"Yea, I found it just after it first opened about fifteen years ago, it's now one of my favourite places to chill after a mission." Jiraiya said, opening another panel and dropping his bag inside the adjuring bedroom.

"Feel free to use that if you want, we have some time to kill before dinner." he called out.

After getting a last look at the spring, Naruto and Tenten turned back to Jiraiya as he settled himself at one end of the table, a comfy looking pillow beneath him.

"Wait…so what are we doing next Jiraiya-sensei?" Tenten asked.

"Well first we shall enjoy the comfort this place has to offer, then to prepare for tomorrow's training, I'll give you the theory behind your new techniques."

Naruto's eyes lit up while Tenten's retained a look of surprise.

"Techniques?" she asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well you didn't think I'd only train Naruto on this trip did you?" Jiraiya chuckled, plucking the menu off the table. "I think I've got the perfect technique for you too."

While Tenten wasn't as technique hungry as Naruto, she couldn't believe her luck when the legendary Jiraiya offered to train her.

"Ah-h…T-Thank you Jiraiya-sensei." Tenten bowed in respect.

Jiraiya just smiled while selecting his dish.

"Well, I dunno about you two but I'm gonna take a dip before we eat, you two gonna share a dip later?" Tossing the menu to Naruto whilst moving to the spring.

It took a moment to register with Tenten and Naruto what the sage just said.

"-The hell pervy sage?"

* * *

Plates of sesame dumplings, ramen and chicken graced the Konoha team's room soon after, disappearing almost as fast to the long-travelled shinobi.

"Man that was good." Naruto sighed, laying on his back as he contemplated the meal.

"Damn right kid, didn't I tell you I know what I'm doing." Jiraiya laughed, currently in the same position on the other side of the table.

Tenten neatly patted her mouth with her napkin.

"Well that was certainly filling Jiraiya-sensei, but I think I shall take my turn in the spring before either of you pigs recover."

The duo looked up at Tenten with confused eyes and smatterings of their favourite meal still round their mouths.

Tenten giggled at Naruto's cute look and simply ignored Jiraiya's. Before another word was shared between them, Tenten crossed to the spring, grabbing her bag from besides the panel and shut it behind her.

'Urgh finally' she thought, breathing deep the smell of the steaming water. Turning to her left, she spied the small, what could only be considered a cupboard much less a changing room. Moving to examine it, she passed through the thin cloth curtain and spied a board attached to the wall to sit and presumably change and rows of shelves full of towels individually divided for what Tenten guessed was to store her clothes.

Shrugging, the girl quickly set her bag down and picked out a towel.

* * *

"So what's the deal with you and her anyway Naruto?" Jiraiya asked as he stared at the ceiling.

"Tenten?…" Naruto asked slowly.

"No, the cute receptionist(!) Of course Tenten. I thought you had something going on with that girl Zabuza taught."

"I…uh, don't wanna talk about it." Naruto replied, hoping he could have put this topic away at least until he returned to the village.

"Aw come on Naruto, I mean, I am teaching you an A-Rank jutsu after all. The least you could do is satisfy my curiosityy for my student's wellbeing."

Naruto sat up and shot the sage a dirty look.

"Like you have the purest intentions at heart."

"Ouch Naruto, kick a man while he's down why don't ya." Jiraiya replied, sitting up himself now. "After all, you're talking to Master Jiraiya, famed womanizer of the land!"

"…you mean pervert don't you.""It's super pervert! And don't you forget it." Jiraiya winked.

Naruto growled before reaching for his bag.

"Exactly the reason I'll never talk to you about my problems."

"Ohhhh so there is some complications hmmm?" Jiraiya teased.

A pair of tick marks spawned on Naruto.

"Drop it pervy sage."

Jiraiya folded his arms, closed his eyes and stuck his nose up in the air like a snob.

"Fine, then maybe I won't give you my ultimate charming secrets."

"Fine by me." Naruto shrugged, preparing a change of clothes.

"…or teach you any jutsu."

Naruto froze.

He turned his heard slowly, his eyes narrowed at the white haired hermit.

Jiraiya cracked an eye open to see if his words stuck home…it seemed they had.

"You wouldn't…"

"I would" Jiraiya smirked.

Naruto's mind raced, trying to find a clever way to outwit the sannin.

"Fine…" He said slowly, "You teach me the rasengan first…then I will answer honestly…and that's a promise."

Jiraiya turned to look Naruto in the eyes across the table, knowing the boy was serious about keeping his word.

"Very well, but only if you answer my other questions now…" Jiraiya countered.

Naruto raised his eye brows as Jiraiya's look switched from one of teasing to strict seriousness.

"How long have you been talking to the nine tails?"

Naruto's eyes widened, watching Jiraiya closely for any move he made.

"Why do you even ca-"

"This doesn't concern your opinions Naruto." Jiraiya cut across sharply. "You should know how serious this is after you fought the one tail. The nine tails power is nothing to be sniffed at, it took the loss of a great man to protect the leaf by sealing the nine tails away…any sign that it could be breaking loose is more cause for alarm than you could imagine."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, both in anger and confusion.

"He helped me through my first "A" rank mission, the chunin exams and even to help save my friends when Konoha was attacked! You're wrong about him being a threat!"

"The nine tails' seal is weakening if you've been able to talk to him for this long. You will explain to me exactly what he has told you…he may be corrupting you and that is something I cannot allo-"

"**Insolent shinobi! You speak with the knowledge of a child!"**

Jiraiya jumped to his feet as Naruto's right eye became slitted and turned a deep red, the whiskers on his right cheek deepening.

Jiraiya glanced at the paper door that separated the pair from Tenten just on the other side. Naruto's new deep voice did nothing to penetrate the waters currently around Tenten's hair as she just let all her senses dull and relax, her ears resting underwater.

"**You know nothing of our actions let alone our pain and suffering!"**

"What is it you want beast?" Jiraiya asked, his voice carrying a stern bite to it.

"**You simply do not know the facts of my imprisonment and make accusations against both me and the boy. I seek to correct your ignorance."**

Jiraiya's hand rested near his kunai pouch, a suppressant seal, carefully crafted, laying inside.

"He's right Jiraiya-sensei." Jiraiya looked shocked as he heard Naruto's natural voice and gaze once again, seemly coming from his left side. "What do you actually know about the tailed beasts?"

"They are beings made of chakra, the nine tails especially with the power to level mountains with a single swipe of its tails."**"Tsh, is that it?"** The Kyūbi mocked, rolling Naruto's right eye.

"You are the embodiment of human malice when it has collected and festered. That's why you appeared in Konoha thirteen years ago."

The Kyūbi let out a low chuckle.

"**You know nothing of my past, of my actions or my intentions."**

"And what makes you think I could or would even believe anything you tell me?"

"**Because I won't tell you…"** Naruto's body moved itself, his right hand pressing against Jiraiya's forehead. **"…I'll show you."**

Jiraiya's hand faltered with the seal in hand as flashing images were forced into his head; the seal weakening, a woman's cries, a masked man, yellow flashes, the leaf in flames, the shinigami and finally the newborn Naruto.

Jiraiya was overwhelmed with thoughts as his brain tried to process this new information.

"**We're not done yet…"**

A second wave of memories was then passed into the sannin; incredible power, ultimate defeat, the great divide, the sage and the beasts before unrelenting loneliness.

The nine tails pulled Naruto's hand away from the sannin, jumping back a safe distance as the man collapsed onto the ground, his legs resting on his pillow.

Silence dominated the room while Jiraiya's brain focused all its power on deciphering these strange visions.

"**I only hope that gave you some damn perspective on the things you speak of!"**

Jiraiya coughed and spluttered as he pushed himself up on his arms, gazing at the floor while the images swam in his eyes, slowly receding with every few blinks.

"W-What was th…"

"**Those were memories…specifically MY memories. I believe you'll find the true reason for my attack on your village in the eyes of the masked man…"**

Jiraiya pushed himself back into a sitting position, pushing the palms of his hands into his eyes as if trying to force the memory to show up clearer.

"…Sharingan…"

"**It seems the child is learning."** The fox half of Naruto said, half a smug grin on his face. **"You think we are beings of malice with no feelings other than the one to destroy. Tell me…what do you think of my creator?"**

The Naruto half of the body gave a half questioning look to his other side as Jiraiya's knowledge wrestled with the memories, trying to find the truth of the matter.

"..."The sage?"...It can't be! He's just a myth!"

The fox scoffed.

"**He is no more myth than you or me."**

Naruto's ears caught the sound of water droplets falling and a relaxing sigh from the direction of the spring.

"**I believe that's enough tutoring for today. Oi kit, isn't it your turn for the spring soon?"** The fox grinned.

Without a moments more notice, the red in Naruto's eyes receded to its natural blue shade.

"Damnit fox, warn me when you're gonna do summin like that!" Naruto said to himself, knowing full well the fox could hear him. "Oi, pervy-sage, you ok?"

Jiraiya had now caught his breath, his vision and some of his wits.

"Naruto? Is it you again?"

"I never left pervy-sage. I told you, the fox isn't a threat…he's my friend."

Both the perv on the outside and the fox on the inside were stupefied by this declaration.

"…Your…friend? Naruto just how much about the fox do you even know?"

"Apparently more than you do that's for sure."

Jiraiya winced at that.

"Screw this, I'm gonna go soak." Naruto said, picking up his bag again.

"Naruto, wait!" Jiraiya called out as Naruto was a foot from the door. "Don't be too long, I expect you up nice and early for training tomorrow… and I'm gonna want more answers."

"**Don't jump to conclusions and you may yet gain some understanding." **The fox said from its cage.

"If you're willing to listen he's willing to talk." Naruto repeated for Jiraiya before opening and sliding the door shut with a bang.

Inside Jiraiya let out a breath, his head rolling back as his muscles gave out; relieved he'd made it through the situation intact.

Outside however…

"N-Naruto?"

Naruto looked up and saw Tenten's head floating in the water, her hair let down and wet with the slightest hint of shoulders being hidden by the steamy waters.

"Gah Tenten!"

Naruto turned away.

"I'm sorry! I was mad at pervy-sage and walked out to soak."

Tenten huffed.

"Look just go get changed. I'll be done in a second and we'll switch." Tenten said, annoyance and embarrassment present in her voice.

"Ok… Uh where do I…"

One of Tenten's hands poked out of the water and pointed over to the left hand side, where the wood wall connected with the stone one that was separating the private springs. What could only be described as a miniature changing room stood with a curtain that barely pulled all the way across.

"In there, get changed and put your stuff in one of the compartments."

Naruto just nodded while keeping his gaze averted and quickly hurried into the booth.

Tenten sighed and shook her head.

'Boys.'

Tenten and Naruto traded places quickly as the former head inside in her nightwear. With his thoughts too caught up in the Kyūbi matter, Jiraiya didn't notice as Tenten walked past with her stuff, grabbing a remaining plate of food, and heading into her room.

* * *

By the time Naruto had enjoyed the hot spring goodness and head inside, the other two were already in their rooms.

"Guess that's it for excitement tonight." Naruto sighed in relief.

Shaking the cobwebs that were gathering in his head, Naruto head to the right and entered his and Jiraiya's room.

He walked over to the empty futon lain out for him and dropped his bag next to it before sitting in the middle.

He lay back and gazed up at the ceiling, his thoughts running free as he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

"Keep it down kid..." Jiraiya grumbled from his futon, rolling onto his side away from Naruto. "Some of us have got training tomorrow."

The blonde chuckled before rolling back and slipping under the sheet.

With one arm propped under the pillow, Naruto's thoughts returned to the area and events around him.

One answer was all he needed before his mind would shut down for the night.

"Hey, old man?" Naruto whispered.

Jiraiya replied with a grunt.

"Why is this place called 'Work'?"

Jiraiya chuckled.

"Simple, when guys return from a nice day or weekend here without their wives permission, they can honestly reply "I was at 'Work'."

Naruto frowned, annoyed at what could very well be the truth of the place's name. Now wasn't the time to worry though, it was time to rest, ready for a nice long training session the next morning.

* * *

Morning came sooner than expected for the two genin.

Awoken to the sound of Jiraiya's shouts at a prompt seven am was not the best way to be woken.

"Urgh I can't believe I agreed to this…" Naruto groaned as he pushed open his door, hunched over and rubbing his blonde locks before letting out a long yawn.

"Me either." A grumpy voice said as she walked past.

Naruto's eyes shot wide open as a wall of brown hair walked past him.

"Uh Tenten? Is that you?"

Tenten stopped and turned to face Naruto.

Her hair, which was usually kept up in buns, and was hanging down by the small of her back last night, looked like it had splayed out, as though each strand tried to flee in the opposite direction of her head and now refused to let gravity or any other force move it.

Tenten herself looked as though she'd slept on a fluffy cloud that preserved her freshly cleaned and bright eyed look from last night.

"Yes, my hair just doesn't agree with me in the mornings."

She shook her head to iterate her point; the hair barely moved, acting more like a solid sheet before she turned and head out to the spring, needing to duck and open the doors wide to escape the room.

Jiraiya chuckled as she walked past.

"And I need chakra to use that jutsu."

She gave him a brief glare over her shoulder before yawning and heading out the doors, closing them behind her.

Naruto walked over to the table where Jiraiya was sat in the same seats from yesterday and sat down.

"I took the liberty of ordering breakfast last night. I didn't know what you guys liked so I got a few things, it should be along soon." Jiraiya explained.

Naruto nodded as he closed his eyes and rested his head on his arm, looking very tempting to Jiraiya to just knock his arm away and give him a wake-up call to remember.

A soft knock on the door prevented him making that choice as he rose and opened up.

"Room service." A young lady said, dressed in a typical fantasy maid outfit with piping hot breakfast on a tray.

"WHOA-HO-HO!" Jiraiya laughed, his eyes lighting up and his blood pressure rising. "Why thank you my dear, would you be so kind as to help me carry it all?"

"Hai, no problem sir." She replied politely, taking a tray and indicating the other to Jiraiya.

As she walked into the room, she took notice of the handsome blonde sitting at the table, his breathing deep as though he'd drifted off.

Being a young girl of fifteen, she often saw much older men pass through the town but this boy looked much closer to her age…maybe she could convince him to stay a while…he might be good boyfriend material, he certainly had the looks, and those strange markings on his face looked ever so cute.

Naruto's ears perked up at the sound of incoming food on trays though not enough to bring him out from a shallow doze.

"Um, here's your food." She said politely, setting the tray down directly in front of Naruto, leaning down to get closer to his face.

"Mmmmm, that was fast." Tenten called as she walked in, a towel wrapped around her head now containing her more manageable mane and stretching the sleep out of her arms. "What's for breakfast?"

As Tenten spoke, she spotted the girl currently leaning in towards Naruto, as though she was fascinated by him.

"SO What Are We Having?" Tenten asked, putting emphasis on her words to get the girl's attention.

The girl quickly pulled back and looked over at Tenten, taking note of her for the first time.

"Oh, sorry, I shall leave you to your meal now." Giving an annoyed scowl at Tenten for ruining her moment, she quickly turned and left, closing the door behind her.

The shutting of the door made Naruto jump awake, looking around quickly as he remembered where he was as Tenten sat down opposite him, he quickly spied breakfast in front of him.

"Sweet, itadakimasu!"

Tenten pilfered a plate of toast from the tray, already buttered to a golden brown and cut into triangles.

"So what was that all about?" She asked.

"Hmmm?" Naruto grunted as his response.

"With the girl." Tenten continued.

"What girl?" Naruto asked, swallowing his mouthful of cinnamon roll.

Tenten's confused look turned to one of relief.

"Nothing Naruto." She said, taking a bite out of her toast and holding it between her teeth before reaching up and pulling the towel off her head, letting her hair cascade down her back once again.

Naruto looked up at her as she shook her head, brushing the few strands that had fallen forward behind her ears.

"Woah…" Naruto gazed, his mouth open and his newly poured cereal forgotten.

Tenten looked up, blushing a bit under Naruto's bright blue gaze.

"What?"

"Uh…nothing." Naruto quickly cast his eyes back onto his food, his own cheeks hotting up. "You erm…you look nice." He said quietly.

Tenten's eyes looked over to the springs in embarrassment.

"erm…thanks…Naruto."

Silence hung between the two for a few seconds.

*scribble scribble scribble*

"Hehehe"

The two suddenly remembered the third wheel of their breakfast chat and turned towards him.

Jiraiya stood with a tray balanced in one hand, the other holding a pen against a notebook pinned to the wall, his eyes wide and a worrying (to Naruto and Tenten) grin on his face.

"Oi, what're you doing pervy sage!" Naruto shouted, knowing what that little notebook held.

"Why nothing my dear Naruto. I just had some early morning inspiration and had to get it down." He giggled perversely.

"What's the problem Naruto?" Tenten asked.

"You do remember what book series he's the author of don't you?"

Tenten tilted her head, racking the brain cells that were awake this morning before the answer was found.

Splash!

Jiraiya found his head and neck covered in orange juice as his face just changed from one of glee to one of annoyance.

"Was that really necessary Tenten-chan?"

* * *

"Well then my little genin, let's get to work!"

Jiaraiya stood in the middle of a wooded clearing with Naruto and Tenten positioned in front of him.

"Jutsu I promised and jutsu you shall work for." He announced, stepping in front of Tenten.

"You, my fiery weapon wielder, will need a jutsu that compliments such an arsenal." Tenten nodded.

Jiraiya sidestepped to stand in front of Naruto. "And you want a strong jutsu, one capable of countering attacks such as the 'Chidori' yes?"

Naruto nodded as jiraiya began pacing before them.

"Very well, I already have a jutsu for you Naruto but you present a mystery to me." Jiraiya turned back to face Tenten.

"I hear from Guy that your jutsu mainly take the form of weapon based attacks. Tell me Tenten, can you perform any elemental jutsu?"

"No Jiraiya-sensei." She replied. "I've mainly focused on my weapons training and building up my chakra."

"Well then, I think it's about time we increased your range of justu, no?"

Jiraiya stood between the two teens now, one hand in his jacket pocket before pulling out two small pieces of paper.

"Now then, this is chakra paper, push some chakra into it and it'll reveal your elemental affinity." He handed one each to the duo. "If you are suited towards fire justu, the paper will burn. If electrical attacks are your thing, the paper will wrinkle. Wind will slice it in two, earth will crumble and water will make it damp. Clear on this class?"

The two nodded and complied, pushing some chakra through their finger tips and into the paper.

Naruto's split itself down the middle, the left side floating down to the ground.

Tenten's paper darkened before crumbling into a fine brown powder.

"Hmmm, so earth for Tenten and wind for Naruto." Jiraiya pondered, stroking his chin and gazing into the sky.

Naruto gave the old hermit a questionable look before...

"Aha! Yes, that one will be perfect!" He called out before reaching around to one of his back pouches, pulling out three scrolls; one red, one blue with the kanji for water on it, and a brown one with the kanji for earth on it.

Jiraiya plucked the earth scroll from between the other two he drew and replaced them in his pouch before biting his thumb, spreading some blood on the top, wooden part of the scroll before opening it on the floor.

Tenten gazed in amazement as Jiraiya unraveled more and more of the scroll. On it were multiple seals with more being revealed for every second, each with its own heading. Tenten caught a few of them which revealed they were jutsu seals.

"Uh…basic…advanced…weapons!" Jiraiya cried triumphantly, wiping some more blood over the seal, a small scroll 'poofed' into existence.

He picked it up and tossed it over to Tenten who caught it in both hands.

"With your skills in weapons I figure a jutsu that you can incorporate into your wielding style will come in handy."

Tenten looked down at the scroll and opened it, reading the opening paragraph which described the jutsu.

"It's called "Earth Shoot", allowing the user to pull a piece of ground or rock from the ground and launch it at opponents. Observe."

Tenten looked up as Jiraiya pulled a kunai from another pouch and knelt with one knee on the ground.

Sensing a demonstration, Naruto remembered an old trick he hadn't put to use in a while and pushed some chakra to the back of his eyes.

"If you're running towards an enemy, you could scrape your sword, kunai or whatever along the ground aaand…" Jiraiya ran his kunai along the earth before flicking it towards the tree. As the kunai left the earth, the ground tried to follow it as a head-sized piece of earth rose toward the kunai before blade and earth separated, allowing the earth to travel forward and slam into a tree, causing a loud crack, a large dent and allowing the chakra enhanced earth to wrap around it.

"Wow…" Tenten and Naruto looked on amazed at a simple but powerful display. Naruto's now red, slitted eyes had watched as Jiraiya's chakra flowed into the blade and into the earth beneath it, spreading out ever so slightly before pulling back, lifting the earth from that which wasn't touched by chakra.

"Of course, jutsu can be adapted. You might find new uses for it or create new jutsu using this as a base, who knows." Jiraiya chuckled, replacing his kunai as Naruto let the chakra recede from his eyes.

"So does that mean you're earth natured Jiraiya-sensei?" Naruto asked.

Being addressed with respect from Naruto meant he'd done something right.

"Well actually, if you look at my own chakra paper…" Jiraiya pulled another white sheet of chakra paper out of his pocket before it promptly burst into flames. "My affinity is in the passion of fire!" He declared proudly.

"The paper merely indicates what affinity is strongest within you. Most jonin have usually mastered two elements by the time they become said rank. Hell, Kakashi has managed three though that may be due to that eye of his." Jiraiya pondered.

"Awesome Jiraiya-sensei, though, wait, what do you need to make the rasengan?"

Jiraiya turned back to Naruto as Tenten began looking through the scroll.

"And for Nauto; the rasengan!"

Jiraiya tossed a small, colored balloon over to Naruto.

"Huh? What are you trying to pull?"

"Hehe take it easy Naruto. You'll need that to begin learning how to create the rasengan." Jiraiya waved him off, holding another balloon in one hand and a rasengan forming in the other. "As you can see, they're about the same size; this exercise will help you form the shape of the rasengan by letting your chakra flow around the water in this water balloon."

Naruto watched intently with his red eyes gathering watching the chakra stream from Jiraiya's hand into the balloon, swirling in every direction.

As Jiraiya spoke, the balloon in his hand tilted, wobbled and began spiking up in places before it burst, sending a small spray of water around his feet.

"With this water balloon, gather your chakra in your hand then release a steady stream of it into the water, pushing and churning the water inside until it pops."

Naruto looked down at his balloon, giving it weak try to get a feel for the amount of chakra needed and the control behind it.

When he looked up, only an outline of Jiraiya remained.

"I'll be back soon you guys, just make sure you don't get into any trouble while I'm away ok?" Jiraiya called back.

"Wait, pervy-sage! Why did you need to know my chakra affinity?" Naruto called out.

"I wanted to see what jutsu would be good for Tenten. As for you? I was just being nosey." Jiraiya laughed as he walked through fifty feet of trees to the back fence of their room and jumped over.

"Hmph, I'll have this down no problem before he gets back!" Naruto said proudly.

Tenten looked over from her scroll, smiling sweetly at Naruto's determination before her eyebrow rose.

'Were Naruto's eyes just red?'

* * *

An hour later and Naruto felt himself getting closer to bursting the balloon. His chakra was rotating, but he couldn't get it to move up and over itself, only a few directions at a time in a general direction like the hands on a clock, between 12 and 3 and everything in between but nothing from 3 to 11:59. It was frustrating and finally Naruto just rested against a tree to catch his breath.

"Man, this **is** hard, how did pervy-sage make it look so easy?"

A loud sigh was heard from across the clearing. Naruto watched as Tenten rested on the handle of her favorite shortsword, drawing several deep breaths.

"Hey Tenten, you ok?"

Tenten looked over at Naruto before releasing her sword, allowing herself to fall onto her backside, not caring about the slight pain.

"Urgh I just can't do it, the earth doesn't wanna move for me."

"Whadda'ya mean?" Naruto asked, pushing himself up and walking over to where Tenten sat with her scroll.

"Look here," Tenten pointed to certain bits of the scroll. "It says here to push your chakra into the earth, pull it back and flick your weapon but every time I do it, it barely moves."

Naruto looked down at the scroll, trying to remember how Jiraiya performed the jutsu.

"Can you show me? Maybe a fresh pair of eyes could help you out." Naruto asked.

Tenten took a deep breath and shrugged.

"Guess it couldn't hurt." She replied, rising to her feet and pulling her sword from the ground.

Naruto stood back and tugged his headband a little lower to shadow his eyes as the blue was overcome by red once again.

Tenten held her blade to the ground, letting her chakra flow into the hilt she grasped with both hands, letting it continue down the blade and into the ground. Once she figured she'd done enough, she started pulling her chakra back towards her and up the blade. Just before the last of it reached the tip, she flicked it, pulling a golf balls worth of dirt into a mound which disintegrated as it rolled a few centimeters.

Tenten let out another deep breath.

"See what I mean?"

Naruto did, walking back over to examine the scroll again.

"How much chakra are you keeping in the earth?" He asked, his eyes blue again, keeping the girl away from his chakra seeing power.

"Erm like this much?" Tenten clenched her fist and held it in front of her.

"Hmmm," Naruto pondered, "I think you're supposed to release a lot more of it into the ground first. Then when you begin pulling it back lift your sword kinda like dipping a spoon into soup and pulling it out."

Tenten focused on the image of Naruto was explaining to her, simply adding chakra into the equation.

"That way, when you pull it back, you'll get a much bigger pull even if your sword isn't touching the ground." Naruto smiled as he finished, thinking his reasons logical.

Tenten slowly nodded her head as it wrapped around the concept, placing her hands on her sword to try again.

This time, she let her chakra permeate deeper and wider into the ground, lifting her sword from the ground a second after she began pulling her chakra back. This time as she flicked her sword, a much larger chunk of earth pulled away from the ground, balling into a chunky ball-like shape before crumbling a few seconds later.

"Wow, it worked!" Tenten smiled at her progress before turning to Naruto who grinned in return. "Thanks Naruto!"

"Hehe, no sweat." He replied bashfully. "Just don't forget to use power to pull up more and faster."

"What about yours?" Tenten asked, "Do you know why you can't do it yet?"

Naruto nodded, "I just can't get my chakra flowing everywhere, it only goes one way and if I try to extend it, it just moves."

Tenten frowned in thought.

"Maybe if you showed me I could help you in return." She said as she visualized the chakra in the balloon.

"Er ok." Naruto said, picking his balloon back up and holding it out in front of him.

He pushed his chakra into the balloon, trying to swirl it all around but only managing a quarter of it at a time.

With a curious look on her face, Tenten placed her hand on top of the balloon, feeling the water and chakra swirl beneath her fingertips.

"What if…" She began, pushing her own chakra into the ball the direct opposite directions of Naruto's.

The ball began spiking almost viciously as water and chakra collided inside. With knowing looks on their faces, Naruto and Tenten both put more power into their swirling.

A few seconds later, the balloon burst, filling their hands with water briefly.

"Yes!" Naruto almost shouted as he watched the water flow between his fingers, looking up and smiling at Tenten as she returned the gesture.

They held that pose for just a few moments before the pair realized that without the balloon, they were now holding each other's hand.

The pair blushed and looked away from each other, Tenten at her blade and Naruto at a random tree…but neither wanted to be the first to move their hands…

As Naruto's eyes roamed over the area he spied a brown bag with something coloured poking out of it behind a tree they would pass on their way back to the room.

Naruto reluctantly pulled away from Tenten and went over to investigate. The bag was full of water balloons with a note lying on top.

"_Naruto, if you managed to burst the water balloon once, heres a whole bunch to practise on before you bother me some more. Good Luck Kid."_ It featured a small Jiraiya on the bottom with a grin and fingers in a peace sign.

"Hmmm well at least it's something." Naruto muttered.

"What is it Naruto?"

"Just more balloons." Naruto called back, picking up the bag and bringing it closer to Tenten. "At least he thought this through."

* * *

The sun began to set as Naruto and Tenten head back into the spa, dragging their feet and barely leaping over the fence.

They passed the spring and opened the door to the main room, revealing Jiraiya scribbling away at a scroll with a box of white balls next to him.

With the opening of the door, Jiraiya glanced over to the pair before leaning back.

"Ah you're back, I was just gonna come give this to you Naruto."

"Eh?"

"It's the next stage of your rasengan training, though from the look of you two, I guess you can start tomorrow."

Naruto's eyes lit up a little and gaining the next step in the rasengan but the little chakra left in his body didn't let his body celebrate with a cheer.

"Tenten, you're doing well so far, focus tomorrow on just hardening the earth with your chakra.

Tenten nodded but otherwise looked very ready for bed.

"Why are you telling us this now Jiraiya-sensei? Can't you just explain in the morning?"

Jiraiya chuckled, "I might not be here in the morning Naruto, I've got some key information I might need to follow-up on while we're out here. Nothing to concern yourselves with of course."

Tenten and Naruto gave each other a look before shrugging and agreeing with the sannin.

"Room service." A feminine voice called out from the hallway.

"Ah ha." Jiraiya jumped up in glee.

He opened the door and revealed the same girl from the morning carrying a tray of food. Her eyes were active, seeking the boy she almost met this morning and spied him half asleep again though this time he was at least awake. She also spied the "other" occupant too.

Tenten glared back.

"Very good Maid-chan, let me help you with such a burden." Jiraiya said, taking the tray from the girl's hands and balancing it on his head as well as plucking the remaining two from the serving cart and closing the door on her.

"Well then, shall we get eating?" Jiraiya announced, laying the trays on the table.

The trio quickly tucked into their food though the two genin with an expected lack of energy at this point.

"Oi, pervy sage?" Naruto called out halfway through the meal.

"Hmmm?" He replied, his bowl of rice and chopsticks close to his face at the time.

"Why were you so rude to that girl earlier? I thought you would've loved her serving us dinner." Naruto asked, a suspicious look on his face.

Tenten thought back to it too, this morning he'd even invited her in.

"Well she was slow serving, I need sustenance and so do you two for your continued training tomorrow." Jiraiya answered.

The look dropped from Naruto's face and he shrugged, the answer seemed logical.

Tenten however, gazed at the sannin, suspecting he was hiding the real answer.

As Naruto looked away, Jiraiya looked over to Tenten and gave her a wink.

Tenten's eyes widened a little before Jiraiya went back to his meal. That wink seemed a little too knowing…

* * *

Dinner was soon gone and Tenten decided to get an early night, partly due to training but mostly to spend some time with her thoughts.

Naruto hung back at Jiraiya's silent look when he said it was getting late.

"So what's the deal pervy sage?"

Jiraiya took a swig of his sake before looking Naruto in the eye.

"I think it's time for a little talk with your tenant if he's up for it." Jiraiya said, a seriousness present in his voice casting Naruto's thoughts back to last night.

"**You rang?"** The Kyūbi spoke as Naruto's right side darkened, his eye turning red and slitted.

"Hmmm, faster than I expected. Can you do that on your own or did you allow him to do that Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, remembering the seal in his pocket.

"I let him Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto replied, a harsher tone in his own voice.

"Very well then." Jiraiya decided to cut to the chase. "First thing I want to ask you…two is how does the chakra relationship work?"

"You mean does he take my chakra and I take his thing?" Naruto asked for clarity.

"Well more is he taking yours and can you use his?"

"**I allow him to use a portion of my chakra at will, no chakra charge." **The Kyūbi answered.

"When did this happen?"

"A few months ago, just before my mission to wave."

"Right, and since then, have you felt any different? Angrier, more annoyed, etcetera?" Jiraiya pressed.

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Actually, no. If anything, I feel much stronger and full of energy ever since."

Jiraiya pondered for a moment.

"**Jinchuriki, a term reserved for those who contain one of the tailed beasts. These people are feared for their burden… and possibly feared for their potential."** The Kyūbi began. **"With Naruto containing one of the strongest tailed beasts, his potential is limitless, with or without him."**

Both Naruto and Jiraiya looked confused.

"**Ever wonder why Naruto is still alive? What with all the fear I have seen because of my actions? Why the village didn't just kill him or any other Jinchuriki and be rid of us for good?"**

"You mean to say it that would actually happen?" Jiraiya asked.

"**Not likely. We are constantly at war with our hosts…usually. When the host dies or is on the brink, their willpower fades, allowing us to break free regardless of our intent to or not. Even Naruto here would release me into the world should his health become too low. That is why he's still here, if he dies, I am released."**

"Then what did you mean by-"

"**That was the part about his potential without him. Regardless of his will, he could be used as a living…explosion tag or some variant. However…should he want to fulfil his potential, he could seek to exploit our bond in ways that we currently share."**

Jiraiya looked intrigued.

"**You know what happens when a tailed beast begins to take control of their host through the giving or taking of so much of their chakra…What happens when my chakra is not only given willingly, but with full peace between the tailed beast and their host, meaning no hostile takeover of body or mind."**

Jiraiya's eyes widened.

"I'd heard rumors of such from Kumo but I thought them false."

"**If they were about my brother, the eight tails, then yes, it seems he has made peace with his own host."**

"You mean to tell me that Kumo now has a shinobi that can turn into the eight tailed beast at will and back again?"

"**If full peace currently reigns between them then yes, I believe so. After the sufferings I have seen my own container go through, I believe he has the same potential if not greater to exceed my own power and will and use my gifts to live his dreams."**

"His dreams?"

"Yea, to become Hokage!" Naruto declared proudly. "…and."

Jiraiya waited for Naruto to continue.

"And?"

"And what?" Naruto asked as though Jiraiya had grown a second head.

Jiraiya shook his head, he must've misheard…or Naruto didn't want to tell him his other dream, one of the two.

"So you want Naruto to gain your powers?"

"**In a manner of speaking. He has earned my respect and I wish to help him. He would not be gaining my powers so much as borrowing them, like lending a sword."**

"So when I die of old age…you'll be free?" Naruto asked.

"**More than likely. As a being of pure chakra, I cannot die. I have a form, yes, and I can be absorbed, drained and even used as energy but my form is carried within that energy and within my chakra, hence I would…respawn if you will."**

"So what would you do then?" Jiraiya asked, his fears for the village still present. "Say you were to be freed whenever between now or fifty years from now."

Naruto's right eye closed for a moment in thought.

"**As of right now, I do not know…should this vessel perish in a fight, I may even avenge him though it seems unlikely with his spirit and my power. Other than that…I do not know…it has been such a long time since I've been free…Enough of my lamenting! Have you any more questions or can I get some shut eye?"**

Jiraiya thought for a moment. "Nothing that needs addressing right now but one last thing I wish to try out."

Jiraiya reached over into the box and plucked out a pair of the rubber balls, quickly tossing one to Naruto.

"Now that Naruto has finished the first stage of the rasengan, you can move onto the second which is power." Jiraiya explained. The ball in his own hand shaking violently before it exploded. "Power enough to make this rubber ball explode using the technique from the first stage."

The Naruto half looked at the ball in his left hand.

"So I just put more power into my first technique right?"

Jiraiya nodded. "It's a lot harder than it looks though, with no water, you have to do it using only your chakra to exert this force."

Naruto looked at the ball, focusing his chakra to both his hands before pushing it into the ball with his left and hitting it multiple times on the outside with his right, using his right chakra to knock his left chakra around. He couldn't yet do it with one hand like Jiraiya, but to make up for his lack of precise control, he'd divided the work between his hands just like what he and Tenten had done.

After multiple blows with his right, he stopped, the rubber ball wobbling and bulging every so often but not so much as to explode or even pop.

Naruto let out a long breath. "Urgh, don't have much chakra left." He moaned.

Jiraiya just nodded in reply.

"That's okay; you have tomorrow to try this out. Now if you don't mind, I'd like you to try the same thing again using the Kyūbi's chakra." Jiraiya requested.

Naruto gave him a questioning look before shrugging.

"If he doesn't mind."

"**Take what you need."** The Kyūbi offered, trying to keep the empathy for his worn out container out of his voice.

Naruto felt a little more energy return as he let the chakra from the Kyūbi flow through him and down to his arms.

He retried the exercise, pushing the chakra into the ball with his left. As he brought his right hand down and struck the first blow to the ball, it bulged well, the second blow which landed on the bulge was enough to send the internal chakra whizzing around the ball so fast it popped lightly before shredding itself to pieces.

Naruto looked down at the shredded rubber in fascination and a little fear.

"Seems I was right then…" Jiraiya muttered.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"The Kyūbi's chakra is hugely potent, even more so than your own."

"So I could learn the rasengan much faster if I used his chakra?" Naruto asked.

"In a way…it would also make it much stronger. I've never seen that reaction, especially on your second try.

Jiraiya reached over and tossed another rubber ball to Naruto.

"Try it again. I noticed you used both hands for this, are you providing with your left and manipulating with your right?" Naruto nodded, "Try doing it with only one hand this time."

"Fine but I'm going to bed after this, I'm running on fumes."

Naruto felt the chakra flow within his left once again, allowing it to build within the ball until he directed the chakra much slower than last time. He felt the ball rumble as the chakra knocked into itself, sending it wildly around inside the sphere. A few more seconds of rumbling before Naruto decided to push a little more chakra into the mix.

The rubber ball promptly exploded.

"Hey, I did it!" Naruto declared proudly as Jiraiya sat stunned.

"You…did…"

At seeing the look on his face, the Kyūbi let out an amused chuckle.

"N…Naruto, just what were you doing the first time with your own chakra?" Jiraiya asked, his awe wearing off.

"Erm, I did it just like in the first step, I rotated the chakra around."

"Hmmm…" Jiraiya muttered cryptically. "I'll think more in the morning. Until then, we must rest."

"Sure thing Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto agreed.

"**Finally."** The Kyūbi muttered before laying down to rest in his cage.

"Thank you for your co-operation Naruto, Kyūbi." Jiraiya said as the pair walked into their room.

"**I h..e a na.e yo. kn.w."** Kyūbi replied from his cage sleepily.

'What was that?' Naruto asked in his mind, laying down on his futon.

"**I said I have a name you know."** The Kyūbi muttered again, annoyed.

'You never told me that.'

"**You never asked."** Kyūbi shot back.

'Well…uh, what is it?'

"**It's Kurama, pleased to meet you at long last Naruto."** Kurama huffed.

"Woah…"

"Mmm? Something wrong Naruto?" Jiraiya asked from his own futon.

"The Kyūbi…he says his name is Kurama…"

Jiraiya's mind reeled, he never thought a tailed beast would have or even need a name…now he realized just how little he still knew about the world.

* * *

As the pair drifted to sleep, they didn't realize their words had also drifted. Drifted across the paper thin walls and over to someone who'd been awake and paying attention ever since Jiraiya demonstrated the second step.

Tenten's eyes were wide with fear, not daring to breathe and laying as still as a stone. Now she knew why everyone gave him those looks, why he was avoided in and out of the academy, why he always looked so sad by himself…

* * *

In the cold of night, the entrance to the spring opened and closed as silently as she could handle it.

Tenten was back in her training clothes and carried her battle scrolls and weapons in her pouches…just in case.

Quickly, she took off at a run and jumped over the fence and through the trees.

Branch by branch whizzed past her, putting more distance between her and her travelling companions. The further away she was from them, the easier she could think.

Her footing faltered and a branch shifted awkwardly, Tenten quickly pushed off and landed on a thicker branch, stopping for a rest, her breathing hard.

She'd nearly exhausted her chakra supply earlier; she'd barely rested before leaving to think.

With a few deep breaths to catch herself, she noticed her branch overhung a road. A few more breaths and a quick gaze around led her to notice the road head back into the town and that the branch she was kneeling on could support her laying down with no leaves above to block her view of the sky.

Leaning back, she lay down with less care than usual, more "flumping" down, worn out as she cast her sight skyward.

'What does this mean?…' She asked herself. 'Has…he always had that… thing inside him?'

Tenten's thoughts drifted to all the times she'd seen Naruto by himself, all the times she saw others avoid him and all the times when she avoided the boy. She didn't do it on purpose, she just didn't know what to do or say to him...

Tenten mentally slapped herself. That was a stupid reason, hindsight was a bitch. If she had spoken to him, she would've gotten to know this sweet, funny boy a whole lot sooner than she did... but then there was also the fox... but then Naruto hasn't shown any anger towards her at any point... but then he did scare her when he threatened Neji... but he'd almost killed Hinata, someone Naruto... likes... but... erm...argh!

Tenten lifted her head and purposely dropped it on the branch, the slight pain trying to knock some sense into her and her thoughts.

'I guess... even though he has that... thing inside him... Naruto is just...Naruto...' Tenten began to realise, a small smile gracing her previously frustrated face.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama, wait up!" a voice called out in the distance.

Tenten's ears perked up.

"Hurry up Shizune, it's not far now." Another voice called back, sounding a combination of tired, bored and annoyed.

Tenten's eyes lit up, as quietly as she could, she peered over the edge of her branch. Down below, she spied a pair of women approaching the town, one busty blonde with a green jacket and a brunette in a black gi clutching what appeared to be a heavy suitcase.

The blonde, she recognized as her idol Tsunade, groaned.

"Look, the gate's right down there, I can practically smell the sake already."

"Tsunade-sama, this is no time to think about drinking!" Her assistant, the one Tenten guessed was Shizune, called out.

"Oink oink!"

Tenten rubbed her eyes and looked again as she noticed a little pig dressed in a vest and pearls trotting along beside Shizune.

She watched the trio walk towards the town as her star-struck senses returned.

'That's Tsunade-sama! Our next Hokage and leader! I should go tell her then we can go home.' She thought as she kicked off her branch, aiming to land some distance behind the pair. '…And it'll take my mind off…Naurto…' her smile faded slightly.

As soon as she landed, crouching from the distance, Shizune had dropped her suitcase, turned and had several strings between her fingers on one hand attached to several devices on the other arm while Tsunade stood in front of her, an angry look on her face with her fists raised.

"Ah! I'm sorry; I'm not here to hurt you!" Tenten stood, raising her arms above her head in surrender.

The pair eyed her suspiciously, taking in every aspect of the girl: tired, muddy, leaf headband, nervous look, no vest, scroll and kunai pouches.

"What are you doing here genin?" Tsunade asked cautiously in a calm but harsh voice, not lowering her guard.

"Ah, forgive me Tsunade-sama but I came looking for you."

"For me? Why? That god-damn village finally decided to do something about the "Lost Sannin"?"

Tenten waved her hands in front of herself, waving the accusation away.

"No, no, nothing like that Tsunade-sama."

The sannin merely glared at the genin, waiting for her to continue.

"Erm well we came to ask you to come back to the village… to become our new Hokage."

Tsunade's eyes widened before narrowing accusingly.

"What makes you think I would take that position? It's fit only for fools and people with a death wish." Tsunade replied, strangely conscious of the feel of her necklace. "I wouldn't take that position even if the Third- no, no the village got down on their knees and begged me to take it."

Tenten gasped before slowly reply.

"Ano…the Third Hokage is dead…"

Tsunade felt an odd clutch at her heart. Self-imposed exile or not, the Third was her sensei. She became a ninja by following his teachings and became strong enough to be marked as a Sannin by Hanzo with his help and guidance.

"Sensei is…Hmph, no matter." Tsunade shook her head to discard her emotions. "Like I said, for fools and those with a death wish. I believe you just proved my point."

Tenten grit her teeth.

"How can you be so heartless!"

Tsunade looked at the young genin with a puzzled look.

"Your sensei, our Hokage, is dead and that's all you say!" Tenten shouted, remembering her own training; the importance of comrades. "All this time you've been away from the village, gambling, drinking and who knows what else. Then when the time comes when your home is in its darkest hour, you simply ignore it."

Despite the careless look on her face, the sequence of her own actions in words hit her hard.

"Tsh, what would you know about my life?" Tsunade said in a cold voice.

"You're my hero Tsunade-sama!" Tenten shouted boldly. "My ninja career started because of you, because I dreamed to become a strong and powerful kunoichi just like Tsunade-sama of the sannin and show the world my worth… and now you refuse to help your fellow villagers when they need a strong, guiding leader? Would you stay out here drinking and gambling while leaf ninja and civilians suffered?"

Tsunade looked down at the genin standing before her.

"I do more good out here, helping the people of these villages with their injuries than I ever did healing ninja so they could go out and cause more pain and suffering. I do whatever I can to FORGET the "great" "Tsunade of the sannin". That life is behind me now, the legend is dead and she isn't coming back. You want me to become Hokage, and send you and countless others out on dangerous missions to your deaths? That is something no one should have to do. You don't want a leader, you want an executioner."

Tenten stared up at the legendary Sannin in shock. Hot tears making their way to her eyes as the weight of the day came crashing down around her.

Behind Tsunade, Shizune looked at the poor genin with considerate eyes. She knew both where Tsunade was coming from and where Tenten was coming from. Unfortunately, she saw no equal ground on which these two could begin to understand each other more... and Tsunade was not the "change my ways" kind of person.

"Shizune, we're leaving." Tsunade said, making to walk past Tenten, away from the village.

"Tsunade-sama? What about the vill-" Shizune began.

"We're leaving!" Tsunade said back to her assistant, more sternly this time.

Shizune walked after her teacher, trying and successfully catching eyes with Tenten, giving her an apologetic look as she passed.

Tenten stood stunned as she watched her idol walk away, her image of the Slug Princess shattered.

The world around Tenten was silent for the moment save for the footsteps of her former idol walking away and a few tears hitting the dusty earth.

KA-BOOM!

An explosion shook the ground and sent a shockwave through the leaves.

Looking up, Tenten saw a huge black cloud begin rising from the town with orange flames licking the bottom of it.

"Shizune!" Tsunade shouted, taking off at a run towards the town, her keen ears already picking up the sounds of pain and distress.

"Hai!" Shizune followed, the suitcase appearing much lighter all of a sudden as she hurried along with it in one hand, the little pig trotting diligently after the pair.

The pain in her chest left as her ninja senses kicked in; someone was attacking the town and she had to help protect them and her teammates.

She jumped into motion, leaving her emotions behind for the time being and focusing solely on who to protect and who to attack, her sleeve quickly wiping the liquid from her eyes.

She quickly reached the gate and took to the rooftops, having a much clearer view of the town and the people from up there.

Another explosion a few blocks away shook the earth once again. Tenten shielded her eyes as the bright orange flames filled her vision.

Above it all, she could hear laughter.

"Yahahahahaha!"

This was the kind of laughter that belonged to someone who knows that they're reveling in other people's pain.

"That's it lads! Take it all! This town belongs to us now! Yahahahaha!" The voice belonging to the laughter called out.

Tenten spotted its owner, a dull grey hulk of a man standing well above her height and the height of most adults, his arms practically bursting with muscles and a dark silver ring in his chest.

Below, similar looking thugs were running amok in the streets, the same dull grey with various powers looting, destroying and maiming several civilians.

Tenten pulled a scroll, wrenched it open so it flowed in front of her facing the street and quickly hit several sections on the back of the scroll, pushing chakra into each of them.

Kunai, shuriken, daggers and a mace rained down towards the terrorists below. Of the fifteen she could see, she only hit three with the mace landing a brutal hit on a skull.

"Eh? A leaf ninja?"

"Get her!"

Tenten jumped away, retracing her steps back to the spa where her teammates were.

The several of the grey thugs followed her onto the rooftops and were giving chase behind her. Mid-jump, she plucked a prepared exploding kunai from her pouch, wheeled and hurled it at her pursuers.

One jumped in front of the others, raising his right arm as it expanded into a makeshift round shield.

The kunai struck the hardened skin true but simply bounced off, with the guy catching it before it hit the ground.

"Heh, stupid bi-"

BOOM!

The rooftops lit up with an extraordinarily powerful explosion, scattering the thugs; some due to dodging, others due to the explosive force.

Tenten panted as she looked over her shoulder at the results.

'Well at least I got to field test my X-plosion tags.'

Tenten jumped to the gap in the buildings caused by the street below.

With a dull 'thud' she was pushed back and landed on her side as she crashed into the same grey thug from earlier with the ring on his chest.

"Well lookie what we got here!" He leered. "Seems this poor leaf genin has lost her team." He laughed darkly.

Tenten flipped back onto her feet and drew a scroll. Just as she opened it, a kunai caught the end and pinned it to the ground behind her.

"Now I don't think we'll be needing that." The grey thug chuckled, advancing towards her. Up close, Tenten could get a clear look at one of these thugs. His face was wide and tall with a horn sprouting from the center of his head with several smaller ones flowing down his spine, the edges of his mouth held open by two large tusks curving outward she daren't call teeth, the bones in his elbows protruding backwards into points and his kneecaps producing upwards to form something similar to knee guards, also ending in points and to cap it all off, a dark silver ring in his chest, the middle of which was pitch black.

Tenten glanced back over to her scroll, her other hand wandering to her kunai pouch.

"Heh, well if you insist…" The thug noticed her gaze and hands, if she didn't want to give up then she might just entertain him for a while.

The center of the ring began glowing orange with chakra.

Tenten's eyes widened as she leapt away.

The thug merely smiled and watched her flight path, predicting her landing. He took aim and released his chakra.

An orange sphere sped towards the roof Tenten was aiming to land on and reached it a few seconds before she did. As it connected…

BOOM!

Tenten threw up her arms to block what she could of the shockwave as it tossed her across the rooftops, slamming her back first into the side of an air conditioner unit.

"Yahahahaha, leaf ninja aren't so tough. The thug laughed, approaching his downed prey menacingly.

Tenten shook her head, pulling what senses she could back to herself as she flipped back over the unit to use as a shield.

"It's no use hiding my dear, my chakra can destroy anything!"

Tenten panted, she was already low on chakra before, now she just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. She shook her head again and reached into her pouch, pulling a small black soldier pill out and swallowing it. As soon as it hit her stomach, she could feel her strength returning.

Thinking quickly, she pulled her other scroll out and summoned.

"No place to hide, coward!" The thug called out, powering up his chest-cannon once again.

A streak of pink dashed away towards the right.

"Too slow…"

He judged the angle and interception in a flash and fired.

This time to shot flew and hit its mark directly.

"Yahahaha, game over." He chuckled.

As the flames from the explosion fled and the dust settled, he could make out the scorched form of an… iron manikin doll?

Blinding pain was his next thought.

Looking down, he saw the tip of something silver protruding where his heart was.

Huffing breaths behind him only cemented the fact he'd been tricked by a simple henge.

"Now… its game over…" Tenten huffed, pushing her serrated spear deeper into the thug.

He gasped for breath, bringing his left arm up to the wound and clutched the silver of the blade.

"Not for me…"

He turned quickly, lashing out with his right elbow, dragging the spike at the end across Tenten's cheek and right arm, drawing blood and knocking her to the ground.

Tenten rolled away and jumped back onto her feet, her arm now pulsing with bad blood flow.

The thug just turned to face her, smiling darkly as he pulled the rest of the spear through his heart, leaving the steel and wood a dark red.

"You have no idea just who you're facing do you?" The thug chuckled again. "I am Yardomo, Leader of the "Snake Separatists"!"

In a flash, he held the spear properly and hurled it at Tenten.

Her eyes widened as her own spear dug deep into her flesh, sending her hurtling backwards and off the roof.

She landed with a thud on her back on the ground. Opening her eyes, she looked down at her weapon. It had penetrated right through her side, the weapons itself stopping major blood loss.

She could hear people in the distance screaming and the sound of more explosions before a clear thud near her brought her back.

"With powers like ours, even the great hidden villages don't stand a chance." Yardomo laughed, slowing walking closer to Tenten after jumping down after her. "This pitiful village is just the start; it shall become our foothold in the world before we move onto bigger fish, and you, shall make an interesting plaything in the meantime. I do so enjoy a game of "Cat and Mouse" don't you?"

Gathering her strength, Tenten quickly sat up, ready to jump back when Yardomo's hand clutched the wood of her spear, turning it just a tad.

Tenten winced in pain.

"Ah ah ah, can't have my new toy running away now." He glared lecherously again, his other hand stretched out to grab her.

Tenten cowered back in fear as much as she could at this monster, clutching her fists in pain. Previous thoughts she had of her blond and his burden disappeared. He was no demon, this thing before her was a true demon!

'This is it…'

"Foxes Claw!"

A streak of red light passed between the pair.

The half of the spear Yardomo was holding was now a very straight stick while his outstretched arm was now just a stump.

Tenten stumbled back but held her ground as another figure dropped in front of her, his yellow hair and trademark jumpsuit fluttering.

"Na…Naruto!" Tenten called out gratefully.

"Get back Tenten!" Naruto called back in a deep voice, raising his short sword, his eyes a deep red. He'd noticed her wound and quickly formed a plan to get her away from battle and to a healer.

By now, Yardomo had dropped the end of the spear and was clutching what was an arm in pain.

"You little brat! You'll pay for this!" Yardomo shouted, moving his arms to clear a path for his cannon which charged at a remarkable speed. "Die!"

Naruto quickly jumped back, put his arm around Tenten's shoulder and jumped.

The orange ball of chakra passed under the pair and flew into a shop a few doors down, making rubble of whatever stock was inside.

Naruto landed back atop the street roofs, backing away from the edge.

Yardomo followed, landing on the roof a little further down before powering up another shot.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A horde of Narutos surrounded Tenten and the real one.

Yardomo fired his chakra again, hitting the first of the Naru-clones and exploding in a great puff of smoke leaving no trace of either him or Tenten.

"It's no use running! I will find you!" Yardomo shouted to his prey.

Behind nearby rooftop water tower, Tenten knelt down in pain whilst Naruto tried to assess the situation.

"How badly are you injured Tenten?" He asked.

"Just my arm and my side. Nothing too serious." She winced as she finished.

Naruto grit his teeth.

"He'll pay for this, for hurting everyone! Especially you!" He said harshly.

While Tenten appreciated the sentiment, she couldn't help but notice Naruto's dark red eyes that had replaced his deep blue.

"I think I have an idea. What weapons do you still have?" Naruto asked quickly.

Tenten's mind flew through the list of items she had and had used.

"Only some sixteen kunai, twenty shuriken, three flash tags, four explosive tags, one smoke tag and two X-plosive tags."

"X-plosive?"

"My own creation; they're about two to three times more powerful than regulars at my best test."

"Right, I think this could work." Naruto grinned. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Another three Naruto popped into existence before one nodded to his summoner and dispelled.

"Why did you-"

Before she could ask, another explosion rocked the foundation of the building.

"Come out, come out!" Yardomo's voice called across the rooftops.

Yardomo's severed hand was a problem. The healing factor they had allowed for extreme healing in both preventing fatal wounds and the speed at which all wounds healed. It could only heal with what he had attached though and with his left hand gone; it was never going to heal back.

He cast his gaze across the rooftops when the meddlesome duo had disappeared. There were a few entrances to the roof, air con units and even a water tank or two to take cover behind. Whichever piece they were behind would be there no longer he decided and had begun blasting across at the targets, picking randomly; they were here somewhere.

"Come out, come out!" Yardomo called out, blasting another air conditioner into oblivion.

"Oi! Ivory bait!"

Yardomo looked over as his blond prey was stood near the edge of the rooftops mocking his tusks, next to an entrance from below he guessed was his hiding place.

"Grrr, die!"

He charged and fired another shot, impacting below the blond's feet and sending him to hades!

"Yahahaha! One down!" He cheered triumphantly.

"Oh, I think not."

Yardomo turned to see another smirking blond on his right on the other side of the street, atop a street light.

Without pausing, he charged another shot and fired.

This blond jumped into the shot midway across the street, causing the explosion to detonate away from the buildings.

A shiver ran down Yardomo's spine. He quickly lashed out behind him as he jumped forward, a small chunk of his right elbow spike hit the ground as Naruto's blade separated it from its owner.

"GRRRR, you are one annoying punk!" Yardomo shouted, now safely out of range of another swing.

"And you're hurting innocent people! As future Hokage, I will not stand for cowards like you who prey upon innocents!" Naruto shouted back.

"Tsh, future Hokage? You're not even gonna make puberty!" Yardomo rushed forward, splitting his focus towards powering up his cannon and moving fast enough to hit the blond.

Naruto didn't have time to power up his blade at the speed Yardomo was moving.

Naruto ducked and slashed his blade across Yardomo's chest, the sword barely marking the skin and not marking the steel of the cannon at all. Moving under Yardomo's punch, Naruto brought his blade back to his chest, pushing and controlling as much of his chakra required for the blade to glow a light red and thrust down with both hands into the back of his right foot. It was tough, but the skin broke as the sword plunged in all the way through the bone and into the floor below.

"GAAAH!" Yardomo cried out in pain, swinging his arm back.

Naruto let go of his sword and jumped back without it to dodge the flail.

Behind Naruto, Tenten jumped out from behind the water tower.

"Naruto, now!"

With her good arm, she hurled a dozen kunai towards him. Naruto heard the signal and dropped to the ground.

As Yardomo finished his flailing turn, he prepared to fire at the blond behind him. Releasing his chakra; the orange ball began moving towards the boy when he dropped to the ground. Looking up, he spied the multiple kunai heading towards his chakra.

Among the dozen kunai was one wrapped in a smoke tag.

As the kunai and the explosive chakra met, a great blast of black smog erupted from the explosion, covering the rooftops and limiting eyesight.

Yardomo coughed loudly as the smoke filled his lungs.

Outside the range of the smog, Tenten listened carefully.

"There!"

She hurled another kunai into the smoke.

It struck true and lodged itself into Yardomo's forehead.

"DAMN KIDS!" He yelled out.

The kunai in his forehead lit up brightly, impairing his already obscured vision.

Charging up another blast, he fired directly at where he guessed the kunai had come from.

Tenten jumped back behind the tower as the orange blast shot past and into the night air, exploding harmlessly over the village square.

Above the water tower, the last Naruto clone spotted the dull glare of the flash tag and spotted his real form jump back outside the smoke a good eighty feet away.

He leapt up into the air and hurled a kunai towards himself who snatched it out of the air.

With both Naruto clutching a kunai wrapped with a tag, they pounced towards the dull glare of the flash tag obscured by the smoke.

Inside the smoke, Yardomo listened carefully. Instinctively, he raised his free knee to shield and attack with his knee spike while pushing chakra into his spines, extending their size to puncture anything behind him.

The Naru-clone in front dodged round the rising knee whilst the real Naruto behind felt the spines catch his left arm as both thrust their kunai forward with great strength.

The Naruto clone thrust his kunai into Yardomo's chest, inside his cannon's loading space whilst the real Naruto thrust his kunai into the back of Yardomo's neck, narrowly missing the spine but made it through to his wind pipe.

"This is for all the people you've hurt today!" The Naru-clone said.

Struggling for breath, Yardomo took one last swing at the clone, his fist connecting before it burst into smoke.

"And this is for Tenten!" The Naruto behind him said, twisting his kunai ever so slightly, reaching down and pulling his sword out from Yardomo's foot.

With his movement free, the smoke was clearing and the flash tag wearing off, Yardomo turned to face the pain-in-the-neck blond.

"Tenten!" Naruto called out.

Behind the water tower, Tenten heard Naruto's shout and formed the ram sign with her good hand.

Naruto kept jumping back as soon as he landed, quickly reaching over 100ft from Yardomo and counting.

As he jumped again, the tags in his chest and neck lit up for a brief second before letting out a pair of powerful explosions.

Naruto shielded his eyes and Tenten hers as the houses shook again from the force.

* * *

As the smoke cleared, Naruto stared into several rooms of the houses below them. The rubble maybe hiding a lot of broken possessions but the people that were inside were not buried with them. Naruto received another piece of intelligence as the clones he created to evacuate the make-shift battle zone had managed to get everyone to safety outside the town.

Looking down into the rubble, he also spied what used to be a shoulder of Yardomo. The grey skin faded to dark pink as three black, circular marks appeared on the flesh.

"Naruto!"

Tenten was clutching her wound as she walked over to the hole.

Naruto quickly jumped over to the over side, holding Tenten at arm's length before easing her into a hug, making sure not to touch her wounds.

Tenten herself, let herself be hugged, not risking use of either of her arms lest she experience more pain.

"Where the hell were you!" Naruto asked, a pleading tone in his voice as he hugged a little tighter before releasing her, his arms still on her shoulders.

Tenten eyes met his; they had returned to their deep blue.

Between his gaze, Naruto's concern and his uncomfortable question for her, Tenten could only blush and turn away in both appreciation and shame.

A quick gas graced her lips as she noticed the deep bloody gash on Naruto's left arm, she could almost swear she saw a hint of white.

Just before Naruto could press the question again, several thuds landed behind him.

"Eh! Yardomo-sama!"

"Blown to bits…"

"Grrr, these brats will pay!"

Naruto turned round, his hands pulsing as he readied his chakra claws.

Three more dull grey brutes stood before the pair, each as tall and menacing as Yardomo before them.

"I call the girl." The one on the right called to the others, his bondy hunched over as his right arm and left leg muscles were clearly five times bigger than their opposites. His eyes were busy undressing Tenten's form as much as he could from behind Naruto.

"I'll kill you before you touch her!" Naruto shouted back, his anger and chakra both rising.

"Look at the kid, he thinks he has a chance." The one in the middle chuckled standing with his arms folded in a "dignified" pose, a pair of katana resting one each side of his hips.

"Don't underestimate him, just ask the late Yardomo-sama" The one on the left cautioned, black sunglasses hiding his eyes with several belts strapped across his body, supporting many weapon pouches.

"Tsh, lucky break I say, they're mine! Gehihihihi" The one on the right laughed his madness evident.

Before the other two could retort, the one on the right jumped high into the sky, aiming to land on the pair of leaf genin.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto called out.

Another fifty copies popped into existence. A chunk swarmed Tenten and pulled her back from the group, the other thirty eight stood between the two other thugs and the real Naruto while the last two grabbed onto the real Naruto's arms, his hands now sporting blood red claws. In a moment, they pulled him back and hurled him skyward with their combined strength, his eyes watering at the speed.

"Geha!" The airborne thug thrust his giant fist forward, the blond centered in his sights.

As they drew closer together, Naruto slashed out with his right claw, the five red lights of the chakra passing straight through the giant arm before Naruto spun to the left, slashing horizontally with his left.

The thug could only watch for a few brief seconds with blinding pain as he saw five segments of his giant arm begin to fall away before the same red light that caused that damage also passed through his eyes and brain.

As Naruto hovered in midair as he reached the end of his skyward climb, he saw the thug that threatened his precious person collapse to the rooftops, his body in multiple chunks with his brain and spine being severed into at least two pieces.

The pair that remained watched as he fell back to earth, landing in the center of his Naruto pack before walking to the front.

"You wanna go next?" His voice was deep and his blood red eyes promised pain.

The pair looked a bit fearful; their cohort cut down in two strikes would do that to a guy.

"Rasengan!"

"Body Pathway Derangement!"

From behind, the one on the right felt a grinding pain in what used to be his spine while the one on the left felt a sharp strike before his legs gave out, collapsing to the ground.

"Jeez kid, all the flunkies you couldda gone after and you chose the leaders?" Jiraiya chuckled as he stood over the body of the rasengan victim.

"I didn't choose, I saw a bad guy I took him out, simple." Naruto shot back.

Jiraiya chuckled as Naruto noticed the new comer who'd taken out the other guy.

"Who's the old lady?" He asked.

Tsunade had one foot on the neck of her own jutsu receiver, who was twitching madly as his nerve system tried to figure out which nerve control what body part. As she heard Naruto's comment however, the thug felt the pressure on his neck increase.

"Who the hell you callin' old ya punk!"

Jiraiya just laughed at the situation. Normally they'd both be on their ass but due to the attack, he knew the village needed all possible defenders in as best health as possible, hence the aborted beatings.

"Seems not only have we got some on-the-job training complete but we've finished our mission too. Naruto, this, is Tsunade, our future Hokage."

Naruto's jaw dropped as Tsunade turned her deadly gaze onto Jiraiya.

"I've already had a word with your other genin about that, the short answer is no."

"They'll be plenty of time to reacquaint ourselves after we round up the rest, perhaps we can go get some saki? Your treat?" Jiraiya joked.

Naruto called out as two grey figures jumped up behind the sannin pair, aiming to take them out with their backs turned.

Before the sound of Naruto's short reached their ears, the sannn's instincts had already kicked in, turning away from each other and slamming their fists into their would-be assailants heads who then stuck each other hard and finally collapsing to the street below.

"In your dreams." Tsunade retorted as though nothing happened.

Behind the trio, Tenten watched as her former idol beat down the thugs like mere genin.

"Well, that should be the last of them." Jiraiya stated, "Tsunade, mind taking my genin back to the headquarters while I help round up the last of the evil and the injured?"

"What part of "In your dreams" don't you g-"

"Cheers." Jiraiya said, tossing her a set of keys before disappearing in a whirl of leaves.

Tsunade looked at the spot her team mate had left.

'That inconsiderate prick!'

"Erm Tsunade?" Turning her head slowly, she looked at the blond with a dull look on her face.

"We can take ourselves back to the room. If you want to meet us there after I'm done with these guys just give Tenten the keys." Naruto said, pointing over his shoulder to where a clone was helping Tenten walk back to them under her own orders.

"This is no place for genin like yourselves. You'll take her," Tsunade gestured to Tenten, "back to wherever you are based and wait for Jiraiya there, I won't be meeting you there or back in the leaf village."

"Hai…" Tenten looked down at the floor; her image of the great healer was crushed to pieces by now.

Naruto noticed Tenten's down trodden look and pieced together that with the fact that Tsunade already wanted to talk with Jiraiya about becoming Hokage.

"Pfft, No way, there's no way I trust you enough to take care of yourself let alone the leaf village you old granny." Naruto shot back, his respectful tone now gone, "Once I take care of Tenten, I'm finishing the rest of these guys off while you go have a nap."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed at Naruto's declaration.

"And what makes you think a runt like you would do a better job than me?"

"Because I'm the future Hokage!" Naruto replied proudly, "It's not a case of if; it's a case of when. WHEN I become Hokage just depends on whether the current one wants to admit defeat and gimme the hat!"

Tsunade visibly stiffened.

'This boy…he's just like…'

Tenten shifted her weight as one of her feet grew num. As she did, she winced and sucked in a breath as her spear wound felt the pressure.

Tsunade's focus returned as she noticed the injury Tenten was trying to hide.

"You're injured." She stated, walking swiftly over to the girl, her hands glowing green with healing chakra.

Tenten just looked down and released the pressure on her wound as Tsunade put her hands to it.

Tenten had removed the wood of her spear, leaving the metal blade in her side; it hurt too much to remove and she was pretty sure it would only injure her more to do so by herself.

Tsunade herself was looking at the wound in shock not because of its seriousness, but because of the red substance slowly dripping out of it. She closed her eyes for a moment to focus her chakra and her mind, picturing the red blood as pink skin. When she opened her eyes, all she could see was a silver blade and the pink wound on the young genin's body, not a drop of blood in sight.

"This is going to hurt…" Tsunade warned, her glowing fingertips grabbing the end of the blade, ready to pull it out, her other hand ready to heal the injury right away. Tenten braced herself for the pain.

"1, 2, 3!" Tenten clenched her teeth, eyes and fist in pain but forbid herself from showing anymore weakness in front of her or Naruto as the steel cluttered to the floor at her feet.

Naruto watched as his team mate and friend suffered from her own weapons being turned against her, one of the risks of being a weapons master; once disarmed, the weapon was free-for-all.

"I'll take you back and heal your injuries." Tsunade relented. "But then, you are staying in the room while Jiraiya and I take care of the rest."

Naruto opened his mouth to tell them he was going to help too but another wince from Tenten held him back.

Tsunade expected another reply from him, despite noticing his hesitation, she thought better to at least explain to the pair why this time.

"We are sannin, and you are genin. No matter which way you cut it, this would easily be an A class rescue mission at least, not something you should be dealing with. It is up to us higher leveled ninja to protect you so you can return the favor for us one day."

Naruto and Tenten looked at each other before nodding slowly.

Tusnade's hand lost its green glow as she stopped her technique.

"There, that should help until we get you back." She said, lowering Tenten's shirt.

Tenten felt better, her spear wound had mostly closed and she wasn't bleeding anymore. It still felt sore but this was only a patch job. She still felt admiration for the sannin's healing skills even after the tongue lashing she'd received earlier.

"Let's go." Tsunade called out, leaping away.

Naruto and Tenten followed, jumping across to the next building where they had to stop again.

Tenten landed as she normally would but the pressure on her side forced her nerves to seize, letting her crumple to her hands and knees as she breathed heavily.

Naruto placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, rubbing it slightly before asking,

"You want me to carry you?"

Tenten looked away in a blush with slight tears still in her eyes before nodding.

In a few moments she was wrapped around Naruto's back, his hands under her thighs and her hands wrapped around his shoulders with her head just over his shoulders.

Naruto jumped again, catching up to Tsunade on the following building who was waiting for their little exchange to be over.

Tenten felt embarrassed once again, she felt so weak in the eyes of her idol and the boy she liked…the boy who'd protected her with his life…the boy she'd thought would harm her not a few hours earlier…

Her disappointment with herself knew no bounds right now…she swore, as she jostled behind Naruto as he landed and took off again, that she would make it up to him anyway she could.

* * *

The majority of the excitement was over for the night: few more buildings were damaged, only a couple of thugs remained on the loose and the townsfolk were beginning to get organized now a majority knew the situation.

Naruto, Tenten and Tsunade landed in the spring area of the genin's current resting position otherwise known as the "Work Spa".

Naruto, still maintaining his grip of Tenten, quickly hurried over to her room to lay her on the futon inside, kicking the doors aside when he encountered them.

'Trust that pervert to bring them to someplace like this…' Tsunade thought with a sigh as she observed the central area, following Naruto.

"Are you OK?" Naruto asked Tenten as she eased down onto her back, his hands holding her scroll and weapon pouches after she'd taken them off.

"Yea, I'm fine thanks Naruto." She replied, still not quite meeting his eyes.

Tsunade's shadow blocked the light from the living area before she turned Tenten's light on, Naruto turning to her presence.

"It'll be better if you wait outside; you're not going anywhere anyway." She said calmly.

Naruto just nodded and turned back to Tenten one last time, giving her a small smile before placing her pouches next to her.

Tenten's tired but quick eyes didn't miss a thing, only smiling in return as Naruto put her pouches down and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

An awkward silence hung in the air as Tenten didn't want to look at Tsunade whilst the healer moved closer before kneeling down next to her.

"Where else are you hurt?" She asked, her voice carrying a very business-like tone to it.

"Just my side and arm." She replied, moving her injured arm to indicate which one.

The sound of Tsunade's chakra enhanced palms met her ears as the warming sensation returned to her side.

"You're lucky; the weapon only scratched your liver. You'll be sore for a day or so but nothing more than some odd twinges if you don't put any stress on it."

Tenten was relieved. She'd lied to Naruto earlier when she said the wounds were nothing serious, she'd felt like collapsing when Naruto had jumped to the roof with her to escape.

"Your other injuries," Tsunade examined the kunoichi's arm and observed her cheek, "Are nothing serious, although, if he had poisoned that spear you would've been in more trouble."

"I don't poison my weapons…" Tenten replied softly.

"Any particular reason?"

"Ano…I'm not a medical ninja, I wanted to know how to cure poisons before I made them."

"I see." Tsunade said simply, remembering Tenten's earlier confession about her dream.

With her healing and analysis done, Tsunade lent back on her knees and let out a deep sigh as she gazed at the ceiling.

"I think that's how I began…"

The young genin looked over.

The sannin's head rolled forward and looked down at her before standing up.

"Just…try not to die before we meet again kid…"

Tenten's breath caught in her throat.

"Thank you…Lady Tsunade."

Said sannin, with a little smile on her face, reached up to open the door.

As she looked down at her hand, she realized her fingers had smearing of blood on them. Her body froze and her breaths became shallower, the focus on her mind's illusion had faded.

"Lady Tsunade?" Tenten called over. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked over at her healer, noting her wide eyed look and shallow breath.

"Naruto!" She called out.

Tenten's voice was enough to snap some sense into Tsunade's head and with great force of will, dropped her hands to her side just before Naruto opened the door.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked quickly.

"Lady Tsunade-"

"-Needs a wash cloth." Tsunade finished, her breathing beginning to return to normal as she strode past Naruto, looking around as much as she could without looking at her clothes.

She spied several napkins on the table before looking away to grab it and quickly clean her hands.

Naruto looked over in fascination.

"Do I have any more red on me?" Tsunade asked, turning to face Naruto.

"Erm…no?" He replied. None of Tsunade's cloths had received and splatterings during her fights or when she'd healed the injured. Remembering his own injury from earlier that he knew was bleeding, he turned to hide his arm from view.

"Good." She replied, releasing a breath before looking down at Naruto again. "Right, I'm leaving to go help, you two are to stay here until Jiraiya returns."

Silent agreement was Tenten's answer whilst Naruto replied with a small nod and a smirk.

Tsunade didn't like the looks of it but felt that the genin were now going to obey her orders.

With a clang of metal on wood as she dropped the keys to the room on the table, she walked outside before turning to jump away back to the injured townsfolk.

She stopped as she noticed something amiss as she turned back around. She could see the inside of the room, the table she dropped the keys on and the oddly smirking Naruto standing by Tenten's room. She could also see two identical clones of Naruto standing either side of the doors that led into the room, as though they were guarding the place.

Tsunade shook her head, telling herself he'd done it for their own protection before leaping into the city.

Little did she know she only saw two of the many clones that were already among the population. The rest, created with a pilfered soldier pill pinched from Tenten's pouch, were already hunting down any remaining thugs and leading the injured to the town's medical building.

* * *

Dawn broke on the battered city. It now supported many broken buildings, holes in the road and injured or mourning citizens.

Among the debris and pain was a pair of women, one blonde and one black haired, their hands green as they focused on healing injuries as much as they could to take the "Danger" patients out of the red zone before healing everyone up properly. A white haired old man was doing his part too, bandaging wounds that didn't need immediate healing whilst organizing those who needed immediate help. A group of men stood in the town square, armed with weapons whilst standing around the beaten and battered thugs from the night before, chakra suppressant and sleep seals applied to each courtesy of the white haired sannin. This group stood guard under his orders, most of them begging for just one to wake up and try to escape, their knuckles white whilst holding their weapons. Everyone else was doing their part to either assist with the healing or searching for survivors among the debris. Luckily there were only a few discoveries before the towns people were all accounted for either alive…or not.

Night was just about falling as the tall blond walked into a bar. She pulled up a stool and waited for the barkeep with her head resting on a tired hand.

This was a more troublesome trip to the village than she'd ever planned. After staying up all night and day healing the injured, she just wanted some sauce and some sleep.

Soon the barkeep came out from the back and provided her with a bottle of saki, at regular price despite the damaged top.

Tsunade threw her head back as she gulped down the burning liquid like simple water before letting out a deep breath.

Before long, she'd repeated the process another three times before sipping her fifth more slowly, the immediate urge sated for now.

The ruined bar doors opened again. This time, they parted for a white haired old man who took a seat at the bar next to the blonde and asked for his own bottle and saucer.

After he'd taken a long gulp from his own bottle and poured himself a cup did the questioning began.

"Why don't you want it?"

"Same reasons I told you before I left about those who wish to be Hokage."

"Ah right… still stuck in the past I see."

Tsunade had nothing to say to that.

"The kid's fierce, a lot like his old man, don't ya think?"

"I don't care." Tsunade lied, "He had a death wish and he got his answer and look what he left behind; a blond with an ego disorder."

"Oi oi, Naruto's loud but I have great faith in him."

"Like you had great faith in that red haired kid?"

Now it was Jiraiya's turn to be silent but not for as long as Tsunade.

"He was… an undignified loss which will stay with me to the end of my days…but I believe Naruto is different."

"Now who's living in the past. That dream of yours will be nothing more than that."

Jiraiya grinned.

"Au contraire my sweet Tsunade, he will bring about a new age and I will help give him the tools to do it. Naruto will become the greatest Hokage our village has ever known, even greater than sensei…" Jiraiya trailed off.

Awkwardness hung thick in the air.

"How'd it happen…?" Tsunade asked.

"Hmmm?"

"How did… he die?"

Jiraiya took a long swig from the bottle, emptying what was left before letting out a long sigh.

"…Orochimaru." He replied simply.

Tsunade's bottle shattered in her hand. Jiraiya didn't react and kept his gaze locked on the bottles behind the bar.

"It was all for him…the invasion." Jiraiya spoke up. "The whole plan was all to kill the Third. All those that died that day; sand, sound and leaf shinobi… they all died because of his madness…" Jiraiya motioned to the barkeep for another two bottles of sake. "…because of him, Naruto, Tenten and all the others took up arms to defend their home, protecting the people. Even here they did it again, protecting the people from Orochimaru's curse mark's work… If it weren't for them and all the others, a lot more people might have lost their "Dan" or "Nawa-"

Tsunade's eyes were wide.

Before Jiraiya could react, he had been sent flying through the wall and into the one outside.

Shaking his head he looked up to the hole he'd made, seeing Tsunade walking through it towards him.

He didn't bother to move, he knew what was coming. But he also knew Tsunade needed to hear it.

He felt her hands reach down and pull him up by his jacket, pulling their faces almost together.

"Don't you EVER say their names like that again!"

Jiraiya braced himself for the inevitable impact…which didn't come.

He opened his eyes to see Tsunade starring at the floor, tears dripping from her face into the dirt below.

Her arms still holding him up, Jiraiya reached out with his own and wrapped them around Tsunade. Her strength relented as Jiraiya pulled her into a hug, her head resting against his chest.

With Jiraiya being lifted off the floor and Tsunade's shift from holding her fellow sannin to being hugged by him, they fell to the floor, Jiraiya still holding Tsunade close.

"No matter what has happened, all we can do is try to move forward and continue to protect what we can." Jiraiya said softly. "Naruto's dream is to protect all those precious to him, much like you wished to. I have no doubts that he will one day become Hokage…and will hopefully bring peace to this cursed world."

Tsunade's ears perked up.

"You… really think he's…the…"

"Hai, Tsunade-hime, he is the one that will bring peace to the world… I just hope we're both around to see it." He continued. "Until such a time as Naruto can don the Hokage's hat, someone has to hold the place for him, keep the chair warm etc. Hell, they might even be able to shake up a few things in the council and clans for the better with the Hokage's power under the right hands…"

Tsunade looked up and saw Jiraiya serious face.

"Naruto will become Hokage, he will bring about the age of peace and I will do everything in my power to make sure he achieves it! Now I'm asking you, Tsunade, to help an old fool try to achieve his dream one last time…and to guide the younger ones to achieve theirs…" Jiraiya spoke, his voice full of passion.

Her mind brought forth memories of the past, a time when Jiraiya had this same passion in his voice. Over time and many mistakes, it slowly faded. To see one boy rekindle his flame…

"…I'll do it… on some conditions…"

* * *

**OMAKE**

Naruto shook the sleep out of his eyes to greet the morning sun as it stretched through his curtains and along his bed. Bringing his paws to his eyes, he rubbed the remaining sleepy-dust out of…wait paws?

Naruto was now wide awake, staring at his new paws, seeing his arms covered in thick red fur.

"What the…Kyūbi! What are you doing?" Naruto yelled out, lifting his shirt as he watched blond fur sprout and slowly cover his chest and work its way down to his belly.

"**Oh yea, sometimes this happens. You must've used too much of my chakra too quickly."** Kurama replied from his cage.

"Gah! This can't be happening! I'm turning into you?" Naruto shouted at his tenant.

"**Well…not exactly."**

Several knocks at Naruto's door alerted him to guests.

"Naruto?"

"We've brought breakfast."

"Are you up yet?" Hinata, Tenten and Haku called through his apartment.

Naruto watched as the last of his skin disappeared beneath the fur and a sharp pain made its presence known in his backside.

"Naruto?"

The door handle jiggled.

…and opened.

"Are you in here?" Hinata peered into the room, searching for her not-so-secret crush. As she scanned, she spied a medium sized blond fox perched on Naruto's bed, complete with nightwear.

Naruto remained perfectly still.

"Kawaii!" Tenten yelled out, as she spotted the fox over Hinata's shoulder and nudging past her only to collapse onto the bed, glomping the blond fox in the process.

"Huh? what is- Kawaii!" Haku repeated in full, landing next to Tenten and trying to cuddle as close to her as she could.

Hinata meanwhile just walked over to the bed, reached out and started stroking the fox's head.

"I wonder where Naruto got it from." She pondered out loud.

The fox could barely make choking noises with the three girls combined efforts to cuddle him to death.

In his cage, Kurama just chuckled darkly.

"**I love transformation jutsu."**

* * *

A/N: I KNOW! I am well and truly overdue on this chapter. Multiple things happened yadda yadda and it just never ended up getting finished, more likely completed in drips and drabs. Thanks to all those that are still reading this that have stuck with me on alert for the past…over half a year *nervous laugh*. Just to let you know, I will never be abandoning this story and you can ALWAYS reach me through a PM or review, I read them all and reply to any that ask a question or put more than a few words e.g. "Cool chapter.", "More please." "Etc."

PLEASE do review, it's always nice to get feedback whether its questions about the story, characters, my updates or anything.

For those struggling with their own stories or certain problems in life, take a leaf out of Tenten's book. If something's too scary up close, back away for a while, analyze the situation and it will suddenly be a lot less scary and you'll see much clearer and make better, more informed decisions.

I know I made Tsunade seem a bit cold and unlikable in this chapter and I had difficulty trying to see if I could gleam some nice out of the conversation with Tenten but it didn't work realistically to me. I'll try and make up for it in the next chapter J.

Until then, keep reading!


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